SHARE:
Future of Healthcare
Healthcare Innovations: Ahead of the Curve
Healthcare Banking
— Amy Keller
Cheaper Alternatives
Wolf Shlagman’s Consult A Doctor sells 24-hour access to doctors. |
— Mike Vogel
Onsite Care
Rosen Hotels and Resorts’ 4,500 employees have access to the company’s in-house clinic. [Photo: Megan DelMonte/DPR] |
Sarasota Mayor Richard Clapp says the city may join the ranks of employers who provide healthcare for their employees via an onsite clinic. “People could come in without making an appointment, and they could get routine things done with no cost at all to them, and our costs will really be held at a minimum,” says Clapp.
The clinic approach was pioneered in Florida by Rosen Hotels and Resorts, which launched its in-house model 19 years ago and covers each of its 4,500 employees at an average cost of around $2,500 a year. Rosen’s 4,000-sq.-ft. medical clinic employs two full-time primary care physicians, two nurse practitioners, a full-time social worker, a part-time podiatrist and a part-time dietitian. The company provides access to specialists through an agreement with Florida Hospital.
Ashley Bacot, risk manager for Rosen and president of ProvInsure, Rosen Hotels’ insurance agency, says the key to savings for Rosen was cutting out the middleman — the insurance company. While most companies use onsite clinics only for convenient/occupational care and continue their contract with large insurers, Bacot negotiated directly with the hospital group and got “better rates than the large insurance companies.”
The company recently launched a business called Rosen Healthcare Solutions, which provides customized advice and assistance to companies that want to build their own on-site medical facilities. Bacot says clients are charged a “small percentage” of the savings that result from the new on-site healthcare model.
— Amy Keller