A healthcare provider in a white coat uses a blood pressure cuff on a smiling person seated in a clinical room
Case Study

Elmbrook Schools care for employees' health

See how Elmbrook Schools partnered with Marathon Health to transform its health center strategy, boost spouse participation, and achieve a 5.4:1 return on investment.
Read the case study

When healthcare costs spiral, school districts face a difficult choice: absorb the costs or reduce employee benefits. There is a third path, one that shifts the focus from sick care to proactive health management. Elmbrook Schools’ story shows what happens when a district treats healthcare as a strategic investment.

Elmbrook Schools brick building exterior with signage, flagpoles flying the US and state flags, and accessible parking spaces
ABOUT ELMBROOK SCHOOLS

A school district committed to a healthier workforce

Who they are

The School District of Elmbrook is a public school district in Wisconsin. With around 2,300 eligible employees and dependents, Elmbrook Schools is a mid-sized district navigating pressures that challenge districts across the country.

A vision beyond the status quo

Elmbrook's leadership aimed to become the happiest, healthiest workforce in the world. This required a partner who could deliver comprehensive, proactive care. In 2017, Elmbrook transitioned its onsite health center to Marathon Health.

THE CHALLENGE

Low participation was limiting the health center's impact

Before partnering with Marathon Health, Elmbrook Schools’ onsite health center wasn't reaching the people it was designed to serve. With low engagement from spouses and dependents, the district struggled to drive meaningful outcomes and control rising healthcare costs.

  • Low spouse and dependent participation under the previous vendor

  • Healthcare costs climbing toward unsustainable levels

  • No unified strategy to shift employees from sick care to proactive health

These challenges were familiar, but Elmbrook's willingness to act set the stage for real change. With healthcare spend at $15.7 million and climbing, the district needed a partner with the strategy and clinical expertise to drive lasting results.

THE MARATHON HEALTH SOLUTION

A comprehensive strategy built to engage the whole workforce

Expanding care access for spouses and dependents

Marathon Health deployed targeted services and district-sponsored incentives for annual health assessments, driving meaningful engagement among spouses and dependents.

Building a culture of health across the district

Marathon sponsored a workshop to equip district leaders with engagement tools. Combined with benefit fairs and wellness events, these initiatives embedded employee health into Elmbrook's culture.

Delivering whole-person support beyond primary care

Elmbrook's health center extended beyond primary care. EAP support, occupational health, and financial wellness programming addressed the full spectrum of employee needs.

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AVERAGE MATHON
$ 0 M

a dramatic reduction from $15.7M in annual healthcare spend for Elmbrook Schools

0 :1

total return on investment achieved through the Marathon Health partnership

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spouse participation rate, far exceeding industry norms for onsite health centers

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reduction in "red flags" identified through annual biometric screenings

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Net Promoter Score, reflecting employee satisfaction with health center

  • Our healthcare costs were spiraling out of control. We’ve now moved from sick care to health care, reducing our healthcare spend from $15.7 million to $10 million!

    MARK HANSEN
    Superintendent, School District of Elmbrook
GET THE CASE STUDY

See how Elmbrook turned health into a bottom-line win

Elmbrook Schools didn't just reduce healthcare costs—they redefined what a healthy workforce looks like. Download the full case study to explore the strategy, initiatives, and outcomes that helped one district achieve a 5.4:1 ROI.
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