Pictured from left: Daniel Raio, CEO & Phil Fatta, Marketing and Branding Manager, Operations Administrator.
While companies are committed to providing the perks and benefits that will lure employees back to the office, they often overlook one critical element that could make an actual difference – reliable, frictionless access to healthcare. Providing that to corporate partners is the goal of House MD. “We want to solve the most pressing problem in our country, which is healthcare,” says CEO Daniel Raio.
Over the past 5 to 10 years, he notes one of the highest per capita costs for companies has been healthcare. “We know organizations want to reduce costs, but it’s challenging to identify meaningful ways to really affect the bottom line,” he says. “Our goal at House MD is to help them.”
A Win-Win Offering
The seamless solution is based on House MD’s “Ultra Convenient Care,” with a comprehensive approach that combines on-site clinics, which can serve as a timely point of contact for primary and urgent care medical visits, wellness checks, and chronic conditions alike; plus telehealth offerings and mobile units which House MD will dispatch to employees’ residences to offer the epitome of “convenience.”
In an era when employers are constantly searching for an edge in attracting and retaining talent, there is no more important offering than healthcare, says Raio.
“While trends had already been pointing this way, the pandemic accelerated them, and the rate at which companies are bolstering their healthcare offerings has grown tremendously.”
“It’s much more than an amenity; it’s a necessity,” adds House MD’s Director of Nursing and Clinical Operations, Keri Monahan.
And it has benefits far beyond attracting employees, says Phil Fatta, Marketing and Branding Manager, Operations Administrator. “Our corporate partners find our UCC model lowers their sky-high healthcare costs and reduces absenteeism because the accessibility encourages their team to quickly get symptoms checked or better manage chronic conditions so they can work more productively in health and comfort.”
The Doctor Will See You Now
Many of these modern UCC clinics are located in high-end office buildings as one more way to attract tenants who will pay top dollar to provide the services that improve their employees’ lives and encourage a return to the office. Whether the worker is grappling with a sore throat or is striving to manage pain from arthritis, they can make a same-day appointment when they find a break in their schedule and zip down to see their practitioner with ease.
“We’ve been talking to corporations about what would make their healthcare options more convenient, and this type of onsite treatment model resonated,” says Monahan. “Employers want their staff to come to work healthy, yet when someone is working 9 to 5, it’s not that simple to get bloodwork done or manage a chronic condition. Our UCC clinics make it easier for their workers to access and navigate healthcare.”
It also offers an efficient avenue for preventative care, which is particularly important for members of the younger generation who might be less inclined to seek out a primary care physician. When the provider is located in their building, it makes it easy to take care of the checkup and tests that will promote long-term health. “Primary care services are a big issue for every company because if employees don’t have a practitioner they trust, they will rely on urgent care, which can be more costly,” explains Raio. “We can help solve that problem for companies, while also improving the patient experience by offering continuity of providers.”
UCC clinics also can host wellness programs, like daily yoga sessions or nutrition challenges that promote a healthier lifestyle for all team members, which of course can also ultimately help employers control medical costs and increase employee satisfaction and retention. For example, House MD has created pop-up locations hosted by Turner Construction on its sites as part of its health and safety program. Workers can undergo a quick exam with a provider that can include checks of blood pressure, oxygen saturation levels, and temperature. They can even perform EKGs and more. “We discuss the importance of daily stretching exercises and other occupational health hazards to help avoid injuries – and ultimately mitigate workers’ compensation costs,” Raio says.
Given their low overhead, the clinics are ideal for any downtown building. According to Fatta, they typically require just 500 to 1,000 square feet, enough for a waiting room, one or two exam rooms, and a back office. The clinics are supplemented by mobile units that can be dispatched to employees’ homes or even other smaller buildings in the realty groups portfolio, where the provider can conduct full medical visits, executive physicals, and basic checks like blood pressure monitoring or more involved tests such as an EKG or sonogram.
A Relationship Built on Trust
Another appealing feature of the UCC model is the fact that it allows providers to do what they do best – provide care rather than fill out paperwork. “Every provider’s goal is to be empathetic, but it’s easy to get disenfranchised with the constraints many corporate or hospital systems impose,” Raio says. “We attract high-quality physicians by allowing them to practice freely, which boosts longevity, contributing to lasting relationships with their patients.”
House MD’s advanced technology platform also streamlines the process for the healthcare professional. For example, if they are making a house call, it guides them through a wide battery of tests and automatically sends data like vital signs to the patient’s electronic record to minimize paperwork or errors.
House MD is able to save on overhead by partnering with real estate groups for its fixed spaces and focusing on its mobile units for additional healthcare delivery. By scaling down these major costs of providing care, House MD is able to boost wages for providers and also invest heavily into its technology and platform. “We want to move the path of care forward and build back trust between patient and provider by bridging our health technology with humanity, allowing more time for the compassion and empathy needed between our providers and patients, ” Raio says.
It’s part of what he describes as a three-prong strategy that House MD focuses on. First, as a people-centered organization, they balance the needs of patients, corporate clients, and their own employees. Then, they focus on the technology – both the hardware and software that sets House MD apart. The foundation of both of these is the third prong, which is innovation.
Innovation is the beating heart of what we do and drives us forward, Raio says. We’re proud of the role we are playing to help solve the healthcare crisis.
Are you a real estate owner/operator who could benefit from in-house healthcare offerings? Let House MD reinvent your healthcare delivery model with its blend of on-site availability and technologically advanced services.