Saving time and money at clinic

Employers, HFM create EasyCare Clinic to treat minor illnesses, injuries

By: Charlie Mathews, Herald Times Reporter

MANITOWOC — Saving time and money while improving the health of its work force are important goals of the Healthcare Coalition Cooperative.

The introduction of the EasyCare Clinic at Holy Family Memorial's Harbor Town campus five months ago is a sterling example of the HCC's mission, said Kathy Zucchi, the coalition's president.

The EasyCare Clinic enables the coalition's 15 Lakeshore-area major employers' workers to get treatment for a variety of illnesses or minor injuries at minimal expense, instead of experiencing costly emergency room visits or not seeking care at all.

Zucchi, the Human Resources manager at Red Arrow Products, said company employees can get treatment for allergies, bladder infections, bronchitis, cold and flu symptoms, ear infections, burns and rashes, sore throats and other conditions.

"The employee would have a $10 co-pay but that's it for out of pocket … the company picks up the rest," Zucchi said.

Some coalition members don't require a co-pay of their employees, but pay all of the $45 per visit flat fee.
Bill Persinger, director of business relations for Holy Family Memorial, said a key difference makes EasyCare stand out compared to the typical walk-in clinic often found in big-box retailers or drug stores.

A nurse practitioner is usually the one evaluating and treating patients at those walk-in clinics. The nurse may consult with a physician over the phone.

But at the HCC EasyCare Clinic at Harbor Town, and another at Holy Family Memorial's Two Rivers Health Center, it is a physician who most often will evaluate the patient and coordinate treatment.

"About 90 percent of the time or more, a physician will be available," said Dr. Richard Klassen, a family practitioner with Holy Family Memorial who serves as medical director of Walk-In Care.

The health network's "Medication Closet" is stocked with common antibiotics including amoxicillin, as well as painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs that are available to HCC employees using the EasyCare Clinic. They won't need to make a separate trip to a pharmacist.

Explored various options

"This has been an ongoing project for about five years," Zucchi said. "We investigated various options, including building our own clinic. But part of our mission has been to be conservative at establishing additional brick and mortar in the area."

Holy Family Memorial and Aurora were asked to submit proposals for how they would deliver care to coalition members in a way that would provide convenience. "And we did want to have some preferred status," Zucchi said.

The HCC EasyCare Clinic is available to employees at Harbor Town from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday. Clinic hours in Two Rivers are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday and Wednesday; and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.

HCC companies want their employees to not postpone evaluations and treatment, and to establish a relationship with a primary care physician to monitor health habits, Zucchi said.

From Holy Family Memorial's perspective, the HCC employee who has a satisfactory experience in the EasyCare Clinic may choose to patronize other network physicians.

Since Aug. 1, the EasyCare Clinic has treated about 300 coalition employees.

"The overall satisfaction has been tremendous," Zucchi said. A few "billing hiccups" have been resolved, she said.

Since the clinic began, Holy Family Memorial has added services, including pre-school exams, screening for infectious diseases, and monitoring the immunizations status of patients.

Zucchi said the success of the EasyCare Clinic should be a strong marketing tool for the coalition as it seeks to add members.

"We'd like to have the city of Manitowoc be part of the HCC," she said, joining other HCC members, including the county of Manitowoc, Jagemann Stamping, and Holy Family Memorial, and a dozen others.

Other HCC member benefits include patient advocacy and pharmacy benefit management services, as well as preferred dental services arrangements.

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