Patient Testimonials Tell the Story: How Onsite Clinics Provide Life-Changing Health Benefits

For too many Americans, undiagnosed medical conditions turn catastrophic—or even worse, deadly—due to a lack of primary care. In fact, millions of people in the U.S. don’t get recommended primary healthcare services that have been proven to improve health and boost longevity.

If primary care services are so crucial to health, why do so many Americans neglect them? Many factors play a role, from not having a dedicated provider to a lack of health insurance to time away from work to travel to a physician’s office. The complexity of our nation’s healthcare system also makes it difficult to navigate, which can be a deterrent to people seeking primary care. Whatever the reason, the common thread among these barriers is access.

The good news is that companies are starting to take advantage of innovative primary care models to solve the access issue—and patients are reaping the rewards.

Hamilton Health Box Delivers a Creative Solution to Primary Care Access 

Today’s employers have options for increasing their employees’ access to care by providing healthcare in the workplace through onsite clinics. In addition to being accessible, onsite care provides a unique way to enhance the quality of care. Until recently, this option was affordable only for large employers. But with the onsite clinic model offered by Hamilton Health Box (HHB), employers’ expenses for healthcare can be reduced with HHB’s innovative high-touch primary care delivery model, where onsite clinic options can be tailored to meet the size of their populations to keep costs in check.

This unique model also provides a consistent touchpoint for patients. “Our employees have a dedicated navigator to shepherd them through any services or treatment they might need,” says HHB’s Chief Medical Office and Co-Founder Glenn Davis. “Because of this, the care they receive at the onsite clinic is continuous and relationship-based, rather than episodic.” This kind of quality care represents how well preventive care can work to improve lives.

It’s a lot like a “glove save” in hockey, where a key save is made when a goaltender catches the puck in their glove, preventing a score from their opponent. Perfectly positioned to identify and treat possible threats, HHB onsite clinics is essentially a “glove save” for patients – and employers – helping them to avoid real costs with expert skill and timing.

Let’s hear from their patients to understand the real impact.

A healthy employee in his early 30s was experiencing chest pain on the job. He visited the onsite clinic, where the HHB physician determined quickly that the patient needed immediate care from a specialist and facilitated a swift appointment with a cardiologist at the local hospital. During the resulting angiography, it was discovered the patient had 95% blockage of his left anterior descending artery, also known as the “widow maker.” A coronary artery stent was placed, and the patient recovered. This encounter had a positive resolution for a number of reasons:

• The employee was able to visit the onsite physician immediately rather than wait days or weeks for an appointment or visit an emergency room.
• Because the employee had been under the continuous care of the HHB physician, the physician had a number of data points about the patient that informed the physician’s decision to treat the case as an urgent issue.
• The onsite physician was able to call upon his professional network and quickly connect the patient to a cardiologist who was also able to immediately treat the patient. Furthermore, this treatment took place before a catastrophic event or an ER visit was needed.

HHB’s employer client had been promoting the importance of annual physicals via its onsite clinic. An employee who had never undergone blood work decided to take advantage of the opportunity. The results showed that the patient had uncontrolled diabetes, and he began immediate treatment. Diabetes is the number one cause of kidney disease, and adults with diabetes are nearly twice as likely to have heart disease or stroke as adults without diabetes. The patient’s physical at the HHB onsite clinic likely spared him from long-term, adverse health challenges and saved the employer from incurring exorbitant costs for the associated care.

Similarly, another employee who had just overcome a cancer diagnosis sought treatment at the onsite clinic for symptoms such as dry mouth. Her blood sugar levels showed that she was diabetic. Although she was distressed at the news, her experience with her HHB physician set her at ease. “I was very shocked to discover I am diabetic, and honestly, I was very nervous about the diagnosis,” she says. “I felt overwhelmed with the word itself.” But she said that her HHB physician made her “feel like I can conquer this, too” and encouraged her to call or stop by the clinic with any questions at any time.

Situations like these are not uncommon. “About once per quarter, employees come in for a physical and leave with the news that they are diabetic,” says HHB’s Davis. “And at least once a month, we’ll see a patient who has previously undiagnosed high blood pressure. We are fortunate to catch these conditions early enough to avoid complications later.” Although it can be difficult to quantify, avoiding events that stem from chronic conditions can result in savings for employers. For example, although employers may see a 30 percent increase in primary care visits, they may also experience a 40 percent dip in emergency room trips. Davis says that once HHB is on site, the total healthcare spend has decreased for all of their clients.

An employee and his family were on vacation at Disneyland when their daughter developed swollen salivary glands and didn’t feel well. “I noticed some swelling on the side of my daughter’s head,” said the employee. “I was not sure what to do, so I sent some pictures to [the clinic].”

Rather than sending them to urgent care, the physician conducted a video call with the young girl and realized that she was suffering from parotitis as a result of dehydration. He recommended that the girl rest for the remainder of the day, hydrate, and start taking an antibiotic. “Dr. Davis quickly responded and was able to order medication for me to pick up in Florida! The swelling minimized within hours, and we were able to enjoy the rest of our vacation. [The clinic] is a true blessing!” By the next morning, she felt much better, and the entire family was able to enjoy the rest of their vacation.

Rather than call a pediatrician first, the family contacted their employer’s onsite clinic because they knew that HHB’s healthcare providers are always available, even accessible through telehealth platforms as needed and outside of office hours. Furthermore, the onsite clinics were a familiar, trusted point of connection for the employees. In this case, the onsite physician saved the family a costly visit to the ER and allowed them to continue their trip.

As part of its preventative services protocol, HHB physicians order coronary artery calcium (CAC) scans on patients who fall within the parameters indicative of potential coronary artery disease.

A study found that a CAC higher than 1,000 is associated with a 50% increased risk of mortality compared to patients with a CAC score of 300 to 999, with anything over 300 already considered a “very high to severe risk” score for a heart attack.

Recently, a patient who was asymptomatic but within the testing parameters underwent a CAC scan. He scored over 1,000, which indicated significant, dangerous plaque buildup in most of his coronary arteries. Thus, the patient was immediately connected to cardiology, where he underwent an angiogram. In cases such as this, primary care access not only results in positive outcomes but also can make the difference between life and death.