4 Ways Virtual Care Can Improve Employee Productivity
September 13th, 2023 | 4 min. read
You need a productive workforce to keep up with the fast and ever-changing corporate and professional landscape. Employee productivity is a critical component of any business operations, and you can optimize levels by offering virtual care that ensures quick and convenient access to care.
By incorporating virtual care for employers, such as Marathon Health’s CareAnywhere solution, you’ll have the opportunity to improve employee productivity by prioritizing overall health and well-being, reducing absenteeism, and enhancing health outcomes – all of which can result in a happier, more satisfied, more productive employees.
CareAnyware is a scalable solution designed to enhance Advanced Primary Care and ensures every employee in your organization has access to care when they need it. Adding virtual care for workers who are too far away to access in-person Advanced Primary Care at onsite or near-site centers can also increase productivity, so you’re ready to keep up with the competition.
Virtual care explained
Virtual care is a method of healthcare delivery that allows patients to connect with providers without having to travel to a physical location. Instead, coordination, consultation, and care are provided through secure video conferencing, text-based apps, and/or secure messaging systems using digital communication tools.
Below are just some of the benefits of virtual care for employees and employers. Some of the top advantages of enhancing Advanced Primary Care core offerings with virtual care include:
- Convenience: Employees can consult with qualified medical professionals from their homes or workspaces, saving time on travel that could otherwise take them away from work and affect productivity.
- Faster access to care: According to the 2025 Survey of Physician Appointment Wait Times reveals that it now takes an average of 31 days to schedule a physician appointment in 15 of the largest metropolitan areas in the United States. Virtual appointments are often easier to schedule, meaning more timely treatment for acute issues or ongoing management of chronic conditions.
- Better patient engagement: The ease of virtual care encourages more frequent and positive interactions between patient and provider, fostering stronger relationships and better overall health outcomes.
- Care continuity: With remote monitoring capabilities, virtual care enables seamless coordination between multiple providers across different specialties within a care team.
- High patient satisfaction: Marathon Health research found that companies that offer virtual care through CareAnywhere as an enhancement to Advanced Primary Care saw an average patient satisfaction score with NPS of 94.
The impact of employee health on the employee productivity
Employee health is a critical determining factor in workplace productivity. The impact of workers who aren’t mentally or physically well can include:
- Decreased work performance: Employees with mental or physical health issues may struggle to focus on tasks, reducing efficiency and output. The American Psychiatric Association (APA) Center for Workplace Mental Health notes that workers with untreated depression can cost employers up to $44 billion annually in lost productivity.
- Absenteeism: When employees miss work due to illness or medical appointments, it disrupts the workflow and increases costs associated with hiring temporary staff or paying overtime for others to cover their workload. Poor employee health costs the US $575 billion in lost productivity.
To combat these challenges and improve overall productivity, prioritizing employee wellness initiatives – like virtual care services that can extend access to Advanced Primary care offered by Marathon Health – is a must.
4 ways access to care can increase employee productivity
Today’s work environment is fast-paced. Virtual care as part of your benefits package can significantly increase employee productivity. How? Here are just some of the ways that virtual care options can make your workforce more productive:
- Reduced absenteeism: Quick access to medical professionals via virtual care means concerns can be promptly addressed.
- Faster recovery times: Virtual care allows quick treatment assessment and recommendations for minor illnesses or injuries so people can be back on their feet sooner, with reduced downtime at work.
- Better mental health support: Recent research discovered that more than half (55%) of workers surveyed are burned out. And half (50%) feel their job is too stressful. Lack of access to adequate mental health professionals further exacerbates the problem. With remote access to mental health services, employees experiencing stress or anxiety can seek help easily and discreetly, from wherever they are, improving overall well-being and increasing focus and efficiency on the job.
- Maintain employee engagement and retention: Adding comprehensive options like virtual care demonstrates a commitment to employee welfare. As a result, it can boost morale, foster loyalty, and increase productivity.
To maximize these benefits organization-wide, consider integrating virtual care solutions within Marathon Health’s Advanced Primary Care model. Marathon's data-driven approach uses advanced analytics tools that allow you to make informed decisions for better ROI, so you don’t have to wonder or worry if you’re getting the most out of your plan.
Why offering virtual care is a must in today’s workplace
As a Human Resources manager, recognizing the importance of incorporating virtual care services into your employee benefits package can be a game-changer. If you're looking for ways to enhance your offering, here are some of the wins that virtual care can provide:
- Reduce rising care costs: With the cost of care constantly rising, providing employees with virtual health care can reduce total cost of care year over year.
- Accommodate the remote work revolution: The pandemic accelerated the shift towards remote work arrangements. Virtual care options ensure employees working from home can access medical consultations and care easily.
- Offer mental health support: It's clear that mental health significantly effects productivity. By offering virtual mental health support, you can help address this growing concern and promote a healthier work environment.
- Improve talent and recruitment retention: A comprehensive benefits package that includes virtual care options makes your organization more attractive when recruiting top talent. It's also part of an employee retention strategy.
Marathon Health’s integrated approach combines in-person and virtual health care solutions tailored specifically for each individual’s needs – ensuring optimal patient outcomes. Learn how Advanced Primary Care, enhanced with virtual care benefits through CareAnywhere, can help employees contribute positively toward organizational success and enhance productivity levels.
Get more from your workforce with Marathon Health
Employee productivity is crucial to your success. Including virtual health care as part of your benefits package can improve productivity-levels through convenient and quality access to effective care.
At Marathon Health, we understand the connection between employee health and productivity – which is why we offer Advanced Primary Care that can be enhanced with virtual care services.
Sources:
https://patientengagementhit.com/news/average-patient-appointment-wait-time-is-26-days-in-2022
https://workplacementalhealth.org/mental-health-topics/depression