Unique partnership with ThedaCare seeks to promote wellness and lower health care costs
Appleton Papers has opened the first of its kind workplace medical clinic in the Fox Valley on the company’s Appleton campus. The Appleton workplace medical clinic is managed by ThedaCare and staffed with a primary care physician, registered nurse, a licensed practical nurse, and two health coaches.
The purpose of the workplace clinic is to improve employee wellness by providing convenient, timely access to health care professionals. The clinic offers the opportunity for longer and more frequent visits with health care professionals, and greater emphasis on health risk assessment follow up, disease management, health coaching, and lifestyle management programs. Clinic staff will also provide continuity of care with primary care physicians and other health care providers.
“Our decision to offer employees easy access to a workplace medical clinic is simply taking our commitment to promoting a culture of improved health and wellness within our company to the next level,” said Kerry Arent, senior vice president of human resources.
“Healthy employees have a better quality of life, are more engaged, and work more safely. Improved health and wellness can help lower health care costs for employees and our company – a scenario where we win together.”
Preventive care, disease and wellness management, and basic first aid services will be provided at no charge to Appleton employees, their spouse or domestic partners, and dependents age 18 or older at no charge. Advanced testing and other more complicated diagnoses treated within the clinic will require a $45 fee.
“ThedaCare partnered with Appleton to create a unique model to care for Appleton employees and to help control their healthcare costs,” Sandy Panzer, RN, MSN, vice president of health services, ThedaCare at Work, said.
“The main focus will be to improve the health of the employees and spouses at little cost to the employee. Our team of providers, including primary care physician Dr. Kay Theyerl, will be able to manage employees’ health by addressing chronic diseases in group settings and with other non-traditional methods, as well as caring for minor illnesses in more cost effective ways.”
Opening a workplace medical clinic is just the latest step in Appleton’s long standing commitment to employee health. Last year the Wellness Councils of America (WELCOA) awarded Appleton the prestigious gold-level workplace wellness award for the company’s onsite wellness program. Appleton’s dedication to employee health began in the 1940s with a groundbreaking partnership with the local YMCA, offering subsidized memberships for employees. Appleton’s long-standing dedication to employee health and wellness made them a perfect partner for ThedaCare.
Please join us as Appleton and ThedaCare host a joint press conference and clinic tour on Thursday, January 31st.
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What: Press conference and clinic tour
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When: Thursday, January 31st, 2013 at 9 a.m.
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Where: Appleton workplace medical clinic, directly across the parking lot and just north of Appleton’s main entrance at 825 East Wisconsin Avenue, Appleton. Look for the door under the blue awning.
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Who: Appleton Mayor Timothy Hanna; Mark Richards, Appleton Papers’ chief executive officer; Kerry Arent, Appleton Papers’ senior vice president of human resources; Dr. Kay Theyerl, Appleton workplace medical clinic staff doctor; Sandy Panzer, RN, MSN, vice president of Health Services, ThedaCare at Work
About Appleton
Appleton creates product solutions through its development and use of coating formulations, coating applications and Encapsys® microencapsulation technology. The Company produces thermal, carbonless and security papers and Encapsys products. Appleton, headquartered in Appleton, Wisconsin, has manufacturing operations in Wisconsin, Ohio and Pennsylvania, employs approximately 1,600 people and is 100 percent employee-owned.
About ThedaCare
ThedaCare™ (www.thedacare.org) is a community health system consisting of five hospitals: Appleton Medical Center, Theda Clark Medical Center, New London Family Medical Center, Shawano Medical Center, and Riverside Medical Center in Waupaca. ThedaCare also includes ThedaCare Physicians, ThedaCare Behavioral Health, and ThedaCare at Home. ThedaCare is the largest employer in Northeast Wisconsin with more than 6,175 employees.
