Our Solution
In 2010, the City decided to partner with Marathon Health and open an onsite health center for their employees and their families. They chose Marathon Health over other providers because they liked that the Marathon model favors a comprehensive, patient-centric approach that prioritizes outcomes over transactions.
Their employees benefit from longer appointment times, onsite medications and lab testing, referral coordination, and more.
Today, more than 96% of employees utilize the health center, leading to better health outcomes, unprecedented employee satisfaction, and millions in health plan savings.
"I like to look at the health center data, and for me, the biggest thing is to make sure the employees are engaged, especially the high-risk employees and those with chronic conditions," says Beverly Ambrosio, City of Plantation Benefits and Wellness Manager. "It's key because it tells us they're working to make improvements."
Engagement: A Key Driver of Health Center Success
It's a simple concept. Employees who regularly engage with health services and forge personal relationships with healthcare providers get healthier.
An effective engagement strategy requires an omnichannel communication approach to regularly inform employees about available services. For the 40% of employees who work in the field and don’t use work email, the city’s Marathon Health providers meet employees on their home turf, such as the police station or water treatment plant, to make introductions and build relationships. The Marathon Health care team also participates in wellness events like the one pictured above.
“It really helps them to put a face to a name,” Ambrosio says. “Versus just saying ‘Oh, we have this physician or health coach you can see.’”
While regular outreach and communication helps to drive engagement with health center services, employers often incentivize employees to boost engagement further. The city’s highly popular incentive program rewards engaged employees with insurance premium reductions and gift cards.
“We call it ‘Three Steps to Wellness.’ Everybody knows about it, and they know their numbers,” Ambrosio says. “If they complete a biometric screening, health risk assessment and a Comprehensive Health Review, they pay about 11% less on their health insurance.”
Beyond the three steps, employees earn additional points for receiving preventive care, such as getting a flu shot or completing a well-woman visit or a health coaching visit, and by participating in regular wellness challenges, fitness classes, and online workshops.
“Once you hit five points, you get a $75 card. And if you get 10 points, you get another $75 card,” Ambrosio says.
To improve health center engagement with employee spouses, the city also requires covered spouses to complete the three-step program to earn the premium discount. In the last year, 83% of spouses utilized the health center. Covered dependents can also earn points for things such as completing a school or sports physical, meeting with the registered dietitian and participating in wellness events.
