This Week's Herman Trend Alert Telecommuting to a Better Bottom Line

The Herman Trend Alert August 23, 2006 Onsite Clinics Reduce Healthcare Costs As employers look for ways to further reduce healthcare costs, one strategy that is growing in acceptance is the establishment of onsite medical clinics According to a study by the consulting firm Watson Wyatt, 33 percent of the 275 organizations that collectively employ more than 4.9 million workers have set up onsite medical clinics or plan to sometime this year. Implementing this concept afford benefits to both employers and their workers. First, onsite clinics deliver greater access to care at lower costs. Because the clinics are on site, they are accessible to the employees---they don't have to leave to go to the doctor; they are less likely to put off the doctor's visit that may detect a serious problem which may now be caught early. Second, onsite clinics address employees' overall health issues. Workers don't have to go to different doctors to receive basic medical care. In addition, onsite clinics provide the organization an opportunity to counsel high-risk employees on their vulnerability for disease and help them address their issues appropriately to minimize their discomfort and cost. Onsite clinics can provide risk management on workplace safety by reinforcing the messages delivered in safety training. Moreover, in the event of worksite accidents, having an onsite clinic means that the company can provide on-the-job treatment of injuries and assessment of illnesses. Lowe's, a Mooresville, NC-based home improvement retailer, covers 195,000 workers and their families with an annual expenditure of about $600 million per year on health insurance. By combining several strategies, Lowe's saved $16 million on health benefits. Some of the strategies they implemented included having no co-pay for generic medicines, installing four onsite health clinics, and giving workers an incentive to complete a health risk assessment. The company has significantly improved its bottom line without reducing benefit levels for workers. As a result of these initiatives, Lowe's has had premium increases of only 5 or 6 percent for the last three years, which was lower than the 8 to 9 percent national average for employers. Expect to see more onsite clinics popping up at employers' sites throughout North America. © Copyright 1998- by The Herman Group, Inc. -- reproduction for publication is encouraged, with the following attribution: From "The Herman Trend Alert," by Roger Herman and Joyce Gioia, Strategic Business Futurists. (800) 227-3566 or http://www.hermangroup.com. The Herman Trend Alert is a trademark of The Herman Group, Inc." NEED HELP THINKING ABOUT YOUR FUTURE? Our futurists offer thought-provoking and penetrating insights, along with creative ideas to implement right away. Whether you're looking for a speaker or a consultant or a facilitator for your strategic planning retreat, The Herman Group can help you find a person for your needs, no matter what your topic. Call Joyce at 336-210-3548 to discuss your event. REDUCE COSTS BY LOWERING EMPLOYEE TURNOVER If you knew just how much money turnover is costing your company, you would have handled it ages ago! Turnover costs A LOT and it comes right off the bottom line. Let The Herman Group and its team of very experienced consultants help you address your turnover issues right away. We have an impressive track record and stand ready to help you. Call Carol at 800-227-3566; international, call 336-210-3547 for a no-obligation conference call. GOOD SELECTION = BETTER RETENTION If you are not using pre-employment assessments, you are flying without radar---not very smart in today's highly competitive environment. Let us help you better understand your candidates and your employees. In less than 30 minutes, you will know if they can do the job (abilities); their work behaviors, even their personality and attitudes (like integrity & ethics), and those can't be trained. It's very cost effective, too! For more information, contact Joyce at 336-210-3548 or e-mail assessments@hermangroup.com. Validated for many countries and cultures. We offer in-depth help with job descriptions, too! http://www.hermangroup.com/assessments.html. Herman Trend Alerts are produced by the Herman Group, strategic business futurists, Certified Management Consultants, authors, and professional speakers. New subscribers are welcome. There is no charge for this public service. The Herman Trend Alert is received by over 30,000 subscribers in 78 countries, in addition to other websites and printed magazines. Do you enjoy receiving this weekly e-mail update? Contact us about our co-branded Trend Alert service. Click here to sign up for the Herman Trend Alert. Subscribe or Unsubscribe to weekly Herman Trend Alert View this week's Herman Trend Alert Archived Weekly Herman Trend Alerts

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