Hybrid healthcare: Bringing primary care to more people

In the same way that Covid-19 has permanently changed how we work and do business, it’s also changed how we take care of our employees.

It’s no secret that a happy, healthy workforce equals a happy, healthy business – and that it’s in everyone’s best interests to offer employees the healthcare services that they need to thrive professionally and personally.

But in our (almost) post-pandemic world, as more and more businesses move towards having distributed workforces, how do organisations provide employees – who may previously have all worked onsite in the same location – access to quality primary healthcare services? The solution lies in a hybrid approach.?

Life Health Solutions offers a blend of in-person and virtual primary healthcare services to hybrid workforces, ensuring that all employees have easy access to the care they need.

The human touch

While virtual healthcare services are on the rise – with good reason – face-to-face consultations will never be entirely replaced.?

Our in-person primary healthcare interventions, including onsite clinics, walk-in medical centres and mobile clinics, have made a measurable difference to the businesses and employees we serve. For example, thanks to the presence of these services, we can report the following health improvements among employees across multiple industries:

• 56% of employees classified as high risk for diabetes were reclassified as low-risk the following year.?
• 45% of employees classified as high risk for hypertension were reclassified as low-risk the following year.?
• 100% of employees classified as high risk for epilepsy were reclassified as low-risk the following year.

We’ve also seen a significant reduction in absenteeism among employees where Life Health Solutions clinic services are offered – on average, these services save two sick days per employee per year.

The virtual doctor

The Covid-19 pandemic has made healthcare more accessible thanks to the rise of telehealth, also referred to as “telemedicine”. The onset of the pandemic accelerated the rise of virtual healthcare consultations – largely via video and phone – as doctors and patients practised social distancing and avoided in-person contact. More than two years later, the telehealth business is booming.

Telehealth has the potential to provide quality care to more people than ever before, and to ease pressure on busy healthcare practitioners. While virtual consultations are not a replacement for all types of doctors’ visits, they do offer an easy, convenient way to get advice on general health concerns or existing medical conditions.?

Embracing video technology in healthcare makes sense for your business and workforce for several reasons:

• It saves employees time getting to and from a doctor (and spending time in waiting rooms full of sick people), especially for those based in rural or remote areas.
• There is no need for parents to arrange childcare in order to visit the doctor.
• For less serious illnesses and conditions, employees needn’t take time off work to go to the doctor.?

Healthcare from anywhere

Life Health Solutions believes in making life better for as many people as possible – embracing digitisation in healthcare is one more step towards that goal.?

Our recently launched Primary Health app (available from the App Store and Google Play) gives hybrid workforces access to virtual primary healthcare services. Backed by global hospital group, Life Healthcare, the app connects employees at our clients’ businesses, no matter where they are, to healthcare practitioners, and handles everything from booking appointments to storing data.

How does the service work?

• Users can access the service from anywhere, on any smart device with network coverage.
• Consultations include prescriptions, sick notes and referrals.
• Consultation notes are emailed directly to the employee after each consultation, along with relevant documentation.
• If needed, basic medication is dispensed on-site or off-site.?
• Users can create and centralise their medical records and details within the app, for easy access later on.
• Embedded security settings allow users to safely store and access their documents within the app.
• Health profiles are easily uploaded for tracking and assessing medical conditions.

A hybrid solution: The best of both worlds

Life Health Solutions provides a holistic suite of healthcare services that will help you transition to quality healthcare across your entire organisation – and crucially, maintain your workforce’s productivity and your business’s bottom line.

Our mix of virtual and in-person primary healthcare services is customised according to your business and stakeholder needs. Most importantly, our services ensure that all employees – without exception – get the care they need, in the manner that’s most convenient and comfortable for them.

Life Health Solutions is a market-leading provider of health risk management solutions and has been providing tailor-made well-being services to organisations across various industries for more than 30 years.?

Visit www.lifehealthsolutions.org or get in touch to find out about our integrated services, and how we can help your organisation make a meaningful, measurable difference in the lives of employees: [email protected] / (011) 219 9000.