A topic of conversation that our clients continue to discuss is the lack of physician and community practice engagement with their workforce. As healthcare costs continue their upward spiral, companies are searching for ways to flatten this trajectory and improve the health of their employees.
Studies suggest that a strong primary care provider relationship on an annualized basis can have a profound impact on both health outcomes and ROI. We see clients often cover the costs and even incentivize their people to establish a relationship with a PCP and get their annual wellness screening, but many employees still don’t take advantage of the benefit. The million-dollar question is, why not? In this article, we’ll dive into the top reasons why people skip their annual wellness screening.
Why do people skip their annual wellness screening?
- Appointments are not convenient. They take time and require planning ahead. They can be difficult to reschedule if something unexpected comes up.
- Procrastination – Family, work, and household responsibilities take precedence for them. They often forget to make them in time. They may also lack the knowledge of how to access certain services.
- People only seek medical attention when they have a problem versus being proactive.
- Past providers have left people feeling unheard. They may also be afraid of the diagnosis or being judged for their lifestyle choices. Fear of the unknown can prevent people from getting the medical care they need.
- People don’t know what to ask for in medical settings. They may be reluctant to share personal information. They may not understand the medical terminology used.
- People feel like they don’t have a good patient-provider relationship. They may also feel that their opinion doesn’t matter and that their needs are not being heard or met.
- Fear of hearing bad news or being told they need to change their lifestyles. Feeling overwhelmed by the amount of information they receive from the provider.
- People want to avoid any medical expenses or copays or unsure of what their insurance plan will cover. As a result, they may choose to avoid the situation altogether and not seek medical attention.
- People are embarrassed or in denial about their health conditions. Additionally, people may be worried about the stigma attached to some medical conditions, leading them to put off seeking help.
- Some populations don’t trust healthcare. This can be for a number of reasons, such as a lack of access to quality care, cultural beliefs, or a lack of trust in healthcare providers.
If these barriers exist, how do you break them down?
You need to educate and encourage your workforce to establish a relationship with a PCP and discuss their health risks. Biometric health screening companies act as the catalyst and work with your people to communicate the value and importance of health screenings. Often your employee’s only point of care contact is through an awareness based biometric health screening event.
A workplace biometric health screening event eliminates convenience and procrastination excuses, which are some common reasons for not seeing a PCP. The combination of company sponsored cost assurance with convenient testing options helps eliminate these barriers and foster engagement with community health providers. Incentives, such as premium differentials, help further push employees to complete a biometric health screening and start or augment their health journey.
Contact us to learn more about bringing biometric health screenings and solutions offered by eHealthScreenings to your employee population.