What Executives Should Know About Advanced Primary Care
May 8th, 2025 | 2 min. read
Healthcare costs keep rising, and traditional healthcare models aren’t keeping up with employee needs. That’s where advanced primary care (APC) comes in, offering a smarter approach that makes employees healthier while reducing costs for employers.
Think of APC as a better version of traditional primary care. Instead of just treating symptoms when they appear, APC focuses on prevention, early intervention and comprehensive care.
But the benefits go beyond improving health. APC’s employee-friendly model can foster employee loyalty and provide a game-changing tool for attracting new workers.
For executives, APC isn’t just another health benefit, but a strategic investment to reduce healthcare spending, improve employee satisfaction and build a stronger workplace culture.
APC improves employee health
Advanced primary care benefits help employees stay healthier by emphasizing early detection and proactive management. APC providers identify high-risk conditions like Type 2 diabetes and hypertension early and create personalized treatment plans tailored to each employee’s needs.
Employees can conveniently access free or low-cost medications during their appointments, making it easier to stay on track with their treatment. APC providers also coordinate referrals, specialist visits and ongoing care, ensuring a seamless healthcare experience that keeps employees healthier and more engaged in their well-being.
Our data shows 67% of employees who actively engage with advanced primary care improve at least one biometric marker. Considering how 60% of U.S. adults have at least one chronic condition, this can be life-changing for many workers today.
Beyond physical health, APC supports mental and emotional well-being. Many advanced primary care models integrate behavioral health services, offering resources for stress management, anxiety and burnout. By addressing both physical and mental health seamlessly, employees receive well-rounded care that helps them feel and perform their best.
APC enhances company culture and employee satisfaction
Once employees visit an APC health center, they usually return because they enjoy the white-glove approach and feel the experience is preferable to traditional healthcare.
Employees also get easier access to care, with same-day or next-day appointments, virtual visits and longer appointments. They don’t have to wait weeks for an appointment or rush through a 10-minute consultation. Instead, they can build strong relationships with providers who take the time to understand their health goals and challenges.
As the employer, you have the flexibility to choose an APC solution that best suits your workforce. For instance, if you have a large number of employees who work in a factory or centralized location, it often makes sense to open an APC health center at the worksite. If your workforce is spread out around a metro area, a nearsite option or the Marathon Network of nearly 100 health centers nationwide may work for you. Marathon's CareAnywhere is able to provide robust virtual care services for all employees, including those to far away from any available health center to regularly see providers there.
Beyond direct healthcare savings and improved health outcomes, APC enhances workplace productivity and retention. When employees are healthy and supported, they take fewer sick days, perform better, and stay with the company longer, reducing turnover and recruitment costs.
Across all employers who offer APC via Marathon Health, the benefit has a 95% patient satisfaction rate.
APC lowers health costs and delivers ROI
Advanced primary care delivers a strong return on investment by keeping employees healthy. The proactive and coordinated approach reduces high-cost medical events like emergency room visits, hospital stays and fragmented care.
Additionally, APC models often include care coordination and chronic disease management, ensuring employees receive consistent, effective treatment. Better management of chronic illnesses leads to lower healthcare claims and long-term cost savings. In fact, one study found employees with Type 2 diabetes miss more work and cost nearly $7,000 more per year than employees without diabetes.
To date, Marathon Health customers see an annual savings of $1,800 per employee, and a 42% reduction in ER and inpatient costs, while employees pay an average of 17% less on out-of-pocket costs.
A better way to deliver primary care
APC offers a smarter, more sustainable solution for executives looking to control rising healthcare costs and build a healthier workforce. The future of employee healthcare starts with high-quality primary care, and investing in better care today leads to a stronger company tomorrow.