what’s working
Engineered for Health
Onsite clinics create a healthier workplace.
Malia Jacobson
As the cost of health care continues to rise, employers and employees alike are finding
onsite health clinics a compelling option.
At first sight, the 3,300-square-foot medical clinic on
appointments, no co-pay or charge for services, and you
Hopkins Court in Pullman looks like any other healthcare
don’t feel rushed with the provider,” says Michele Beehler,
office. The neat, welcoming reception space adjoins seven
SEL human resources manager.
clinician rooms, two offices, and a nurses’ station. The
onsite, on trend
three-year-old clinic houses one physician, three nurse
Schweitzer isn’t alone in its effort to reengineer employee
practitioners, two registered nurses, and support staff.
healthcare; the firm’s onsite clinic is part of a trend toward
Notably missing from the scene, however, is the cavernous
employer-managed healthcare that shows no signs of slowing.
waiting room that’s a staple in most medical offices. There’s
a good reason for this: Patients rarely need
to wait. That’s because the clinic is operated
by Pullman-based Schweitzer Engineering
Laboratories (SEL), a 31-year-old employeeowned company that designs and manufactures
parts to protect power grids, for the care of its
employees and their families.
“The clinic provides the kind of care patients
— Ryan Schmid, CEO, Vera Whole Health
dream of, with short wait times, same-day
“We have a long list of physicians eager to step into
this model. Providers love spending more time with
each patient. It speaks to why many of them went
into primary care in the first place.”
at a glance
Onsite health clinics are
expected to grow 15-20
percent per year.
Schweitzer Engineering
Laboratories (SEL)
reported a 25 percent
savings in the first year
after it transitioned to a
self-funded health plan
and opened a clinic at its
Pullman campus.
SEL’s clinic is on track to
save the company
$1 million this year.
24 association of washington business