Press Release
Today the Town of Fishers celebrated the opening of its new employee health clinic that will save the town approximately $1.3 million in health care costs over the next three years. The clinic will be staffed by two medical doctors and will dispense generic medication for free to employees and their dependents on the town’s health plan.
“The in-house clinic is an innovative way that our employees decided to combat soaring health care costs over the last several years,” said Gary A. Huff, Fishers Town Manager. “It’s a win-win for the taxpayers who save millions and the employees who get to visit the doctor and receive necessary medication at no cost.”
Employees and their dependents who visit the clinic will not be charged for their visit or for any medications they receive during their visit. Popular generic medications will be housed on site and dispensed during the patient’s visit. Many of the primary care services of a family physician will be available at the clinic.
Cost savings are realized because medications being dispensed are generic and physician visits cost the town significantly less than visits to private physicians.
In 2008, town employees formed a health care task force comprised of 6 employees to come up with an innovative way to combat soaring costs of health care. The task force teamed up with Novia Careclinics to establish a clinic across the street from Town Hall in the Fishers Train Station. The task force not only hoped to reduce health care costs in the short term but to improve overall employee wellness which will result in a long-term reduction in health care costs.
The medical professionals were selected by the health care task force and are contracted by Novia to work part-time in the clinic. The clinic is open at regular hours each week, based on utilization. Employees set their own appointment at the clinic by accessing a secure online scheduling system provided by Novia. Novia currently operates 15 clinics for 14 different sponsoring employers.
“Another goal of the conveniently located clinic is to encourage all around employee wellness which will ultimately reduce health care costs dramatically as the town won’t have to pay for avoidable illness,” Huff added.
