Help your workforce choose (and use) a primary care provider
A primary care provider (PCP) — such as a family medicine physician, pediatrician, internist, nurse practitioner or physician assistant/physician associate — addresses a wide variety of health concerns through preventive care and specialist referrals when necessary.
Having a provider who can understand your employees’ health needs and directs their care can lead to better long-term health outcomes — and potentially savings for you and your employees. Your employees should have a long-term relationship with their PCP and consider them their medical “home.”
What does a primary care provider do?
Your workforce will typically see a primary care provider for their annual preventive exam, routine screenings and non-emergency illnesses. Some health concerns an employee might discuss with their PCP include:
- High blood pressure.
- Diabetes management.
- Risk factors for heart disease.
- High cholesterol.
- Risk for common cancers, like breast, cervical, prostate or colorectal.
- Mental or behavioral health concerns.
Why don’t my employees have a primary care provider?
Some employees may not be aware of how important it is to designate a primary care provider or aren’t sure how to find a PCP they can trust. Others, especially younger employees in good health, may simply not be concerned with establishing a relationship with a PCP because they’re in good health.
This is why it’s important to make sure your employees understand the benefits of having a strong relationship with a primary care provider, even when they’re healthy.
Help employees take control of their health care with myWellmark®
When employees log in to myWellmark, they get quick access to tools that help them manage their benefits — like finding in-network providers, checking claims and tracking spending. Download the myWellmark® employer toolkit from the Wellmark Marketing Toolkit for free resources that make it simple to promote registration and help your team take charge of their health care.
Why it matters for your employees to have a primary care provider
Having a primary care provider makes it easier for employees to get referrals for specialty care, refill prescriptions and get routine preventive services – which are typically free for Wellmark members with in-network providers. When your employees see their PCP, it can potentially save on overall health care costs for both you and your employees by reducing emergency room and urgent care use and better management of chronic conditions.
When employees establish a relationship with a PCP, they get more personalized care, including:
- Comprehensive health assessments: A PCP can assess existing medical conditions and personal family medical history.
- Holistic understanding: A PCP is familiar with the employee’s current medications, stress levels, personal health habits and other vital information.
- Preventive care: A PCP provides important preventive exams and screenings to detect health problems before they become serious.
- Personalized approach: A PCP understands your employee’s values, beliefs and preferences, leading to more tailored care.
- Improved outcomes: With an established relationship with their PCP, employees are more likely to experience better health outcomes.
Establishing a relationship with a primary care provider ensures your employees get the preventive care they need. A study published in JAMA Internal Medicine found that adults with a PCP were significantly more likely to fill prescriptions and have a routine preventive visit in the past year. They also received more high-value care such as cancer screenings, like colorectal cancer screenings and mammograms.
When your employees have a primary care provider they know and trust, they’ll also be more likely to:
- Schedule appointments when needed.
- Speak openly and honestly about health concerns.
- Listen to advice and follow through on treatment.
- Effectively manage chronic conditions.
- Make informed decisions about when to go to the emergency room or urgent care.
- Find the right specialty care.
What’s more, most primary care providers belong to practices that offer secure patient portals. This online tool makes it easy for employees to manage their care by scheduling appointments, getting lab results, finding medical records and paying bills. Plus, they can use the patient portal to send non-urgent messages and get their health questions answered more quickly by trusted providers.
Primary care provider selection — simplified
Choosing a primary care provider is an important decision. myWellmark makes it easy for your employees to find the information they need to make an informed choice – they just need to log in to myWellmark® to get started.
If you offer a plan that requires a PCP designation, share the free downloadable guide in your workplace to help your employees choose and designate a primary care provider.
Questions? Contact your authorized Wellmark account representative or email us at blueatwork@wellmark.com.