Workplace clinics are separate from and in front of the health plan. The clinic offers comprehensive primary care, so the health plan is accessed only when patients are referred from the clinic (or if they choose to not use the clinic). In addition, clinic operations positively impact Workers’ Compensation medical costs for many of the occupational injuries as well as follow-up visits for many workers’ comp claims. Substantial occupational health cost savings can be gained by conducting employment physicals, functional capacity testing, drug screens and other human resource tests. Convenient access to care positively impacts morale, recruitment and retention, and lost productivity costs. Absenteeism is kept to a minimum. Healthier employees are more attentive and productive when at work. Employees are more satisfied with their jobs and more productive when they and their families are healthy and have good access to care.
WeCare TLC's Physicians Use The Latest Information Tools and Medical Guidelines
Unlike most American physicians, WeCare TLC's doctors use Electronic Medical Records with embedded guidelines based on the latest scientific evidence for better, more consistent care/outcomes. Our physicians often replace doctors from the health plan’s network, where the care, referral patterns and tools may be inconsistent and outdated.
WeCare TLC's Physicians Are Salaried
WeCare TLC physicians do not profit from the care they deliver. There is no financial incentive to provide unnecessary services.
WeCare TLC's Physicians Are Expert Guides, Not Gatekeepers
Our physicians follow and actively advocate for each patient throughout the continuum of care. This physician engagement results in better, more efficient specialty and inpatient care.
Employee/Family Participation In The Clinic Is Voluntary
Participants may choose to use or not use the clinic. Employees and family members pay nothing for clinic visits, for drugs dispensed through the clinic formulary, or for laboratory tests conducted in the clinic. Patients may see outside physicians, but standard health plan fees apply. Use of the clinic (rather than network physicians) generally provides greater effectiveness and cost-control, so employers are encouraged to bolster the benefit plan incentives for clinic use.
Better, More Available Primary Care Reduces Overall Costs
Individuals with active primary care relationships have lower specialty care costs. Members are more likely to access health care early because of convenience, cost and ease of access. WeCare TLC clinics may have extended hours intended to meet members’ needs. Open access promotes early care, which prevents conditions (and costs) from becoming worse than they should be.
Early Detection And Prevention Reduces Chronic Disease Costs
Chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, asthma typically account for half or more of all health plans costs. So programs that actively identify and provide face-to-face counseling/management of these patients have been shown to be most effective. WeCare TLC uses data gathered through claims analyses and through the Health Risk Appraisal (HRA) to identify participants at risk for chronic disease. Once identified, chronic patients are paired with an onsite disease management nurse for routine face-to-face counseling, which has been shown to be the most promising approach to changing the behaviors associated with lifestyle-related disease.
Office Visits Are Easy To Arrange
Members may make appointments in different ways: through the Web-based scheduler, or by calling an 800 number or the clinic directly (if allowed by employer). Patients needing to see a physician quickly can nearly always get a same-day appointment. Care is sometimes needed during off-hours, so WeCare TLC usually contracts with local walk-in care centers that agree to our standards and have invested in tools that allow easy exchange of patient data.
WeCare TLC Identifies And Refers To High Performing Specialists/Services
Whenever possible, WeCare TLC obtains and analyzes the health care provider data within each market to identify high-performing network physicians and services. We are focused on steering our patients to providers who consistently obtain the best clinical outcomes at the lowest cost.
Reduced Prescription Expenses. Better Overall Health
WeCare TLC uses a mostly generic formulary, but can stock any brand drug at significant savings as well. Many brand name drugs can be substituted with generic equivalents, with the same quality at far lower cost. Patients are more compliant with their medication regimen (and remain healthier) when the drugs are available without cost and when the clinic staff is available to provide support.
The Patient Information Firewall
WeCare TLC strictly adheres to HIPAA’s privacy and security regulations, establishing a firewall between the employer and the clinic’s information about each patient. WeCare TLC considers these critical elements of our program that cannot be breached.
Data Security
WeCare TLC goes to great lengths to keep patient data secure and private. Electronic transmission of Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) use the Secure Socket Layer (SSL) protocol and is accessible only through our firewall, ensuring high security levels. Data stored in our servers are accessed through a proprietary Web-based EMR application. Professional software continuously monitors the security of our site, and we also employ an external firm to periodically test our system's security.
All data are routinely backed up to remote firewall-protected replication servers and to tape.