There’s a difference between health insurance and healthcare. You provide your workforce with a health benefit plan to take care of them when they are sick, but how do you ensure they get or stay healthy?
According to the Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on the Consequences of Uninsurance, health insurance benefits focus on acute or urgent care and are most effective when paired with preventive health and wellness benefits.
The Importance of Healthcare
At our core, Marathon Health is all about helping people create health. When you empower people to take control of their own health, they begin to develop new health behaviors, make smarter healthcare decisions, and improve their health. At every visit, the provider explores the root causes for health issues and conditions, taking a holistic approach to the care delivered.
To better support your employees’ overall health, worksite healthcare providers offer convenient and affordable healthcare services directly at or near the worksite. They partner with your employees to assess their willingness to change through health coaching and motivational interviewing. This approach provides the guidance, support, and education employees need to begin their health journey.
“Maintaining an ongoing relationship with a specific provider who keeps records, manages care, and is available for consultation between visits is a key to high-quality health care, particularly for those with chronic illnesses.” – Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on the Consequences of Uninsurance
This individualized approach to healthcare is powerful, and yields results. At our worksite health centers, 58 percent of our patients are decreasing their health risks, including lowering their weight, blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels. With health coaching included in every visit, our patients are making better health choices and lowering their healthcare costs at the same time.
“I met with my health center’s RN health coach, Angie, for help with nutrition. She was very encouraging and helped me learn how to read food labels and what to look for when choosing food. She also helped me with a plan for my fitness. I started walking on my breaks from work and weighing in each week. Angie was my cheerleader and her encouragement kept me going.” – Renee, Marathon Health patient, employee at Kwik Trip, and winner of Healthy Like Me
Renee has changed her lifestyle, her nutrition, and fitness with the support of her health coach. To date, she’s lost 55 pounds and her blood sugar is back to a healthy, normal range. At Marathon Health, we aim to shift healthcare beyond single episodic problems and into comprehensive, holistic care. Behavior change is hard work, but ultimately more successful when supported by a dedicated team when and where they need it most.
