“The hugest impact for a company is that by getting people into wellness programs, and making the case for convenience and preventive care, you are increasing productivity and saving time” because people don’t need to leave the work site, says Sue Adams, Intel’s global health and well-being manager.”

In an effort to improve productivity and make health services accessible to individuals, organizations are establishing on-site clinics. In a recent Wall Street Journal article printMode the prevalence of on-site clinics is increasing as organizations extend their efforts in trying to stem rising healthcare costs.

What an opportunity for retail pharmacies to consider as a strategy. Over the past two years we have seen the success of in-store clinics, such as CVS’ Minute Clinic. I would think that large pharmacy chains are in a unique position to offer companies in-store clinic models on their campuses.

The AMA argues that these on-site clinics should augment the use of a primary care physician but the question that deserves serious consideration is why? Why wouldn’t it make sense for an organization to have a full-time physician on-site that can act as the primary care physician for its workforce? Pitney Bowes says that for every $1 it spends on its clinics, it saves $1 in health-care costs and gains an additional $1 in increased productivity. “We believe this will keep you healthier and contain costs. It is a long-term investment in employees,” says Andrew Gold, Pitney Bowes’s executive director, benefits planning.

These types of alternative care models scare primary care physicians in their antiquated cottage industry and it should. In today’s reimbursement environment, physicians need increasing amounts of volume in order to make money. However, most physicians only see patients after an incident has occurred, not before. These on-site clinics promote prevention as well as manage chronic conditions. Often times, on-site work clinics are cheaper and with individuals having so little time, the convenience factor weighs heavily in the clinics’ favor.