One of the things that we get asked all the time after we've signed the contract is what happens next. What is going to occur? How long does it take to get a provider onsite? And what are the next steps? Some health services companies will tell you that they can put a provider onsite the next day. But we found throughout the years that kicking off a relationship like this usually doesn't go well, and stakeholders and employees don't buy into the program.

This post is the final article in our series about operationalizing your safety culture. The first post described how you could leverage your internal data and map it to a three-part framework to enable Safety Committees to define risk factors and employee health issues accurately. The second post discusses how consolidated data helps the team develop strategic, operational, and tactical strategies and plans to achieve wellness goals. The third post shows how using this model lets you put those strategies into action. 

In this post, we review how WorkWell collaborates with clients to ensure our onsite physical therapy (PT) clinics deliver measurable ROI from day one.

Setting up an onsite PT clinic is complex; it involves much more than just bringing a health provider to the worksite. In the video below, Brian Boyle, PT, DPT talks about the typical process to get an onsite physical therapy clinic up and running. WorkWell follows a detailed 170-step process to set up the clinic properly before employees ever visit the facility. 

Matching Health Providers to Organizational Needs

At the kick-off meeting, our implementation team springs into action. The implementation team meets with management to discuss program objectives and what the company looks for in a health provider. This approach helps us place the best candidate for the organization's needs. For example, should the therapist be bilingual? What's the clinic's operating schedule? Will the provider treat MSK injuries as well as deliver injury prevention training? We have more than 10,000 physical therapists and occupational therapists in our nationwide network and details like these help us put the right person in place at the beginning of the program.

Once we learn about the specific requirements, we set up a soft "meet and greet" between the proposed health provider and the organization. This in-person meeting allows both parties to see if there's a good fit before committing. We expect the provider to tour the facility, speak with senior management and employees, and meet with the safety team. These steps allow the customer to decide if the provider meets their requirements and would be compatible with their corporate culture. It also allows the health provider to ensure they're fully qualified and comfortable with their duties. If the proposed provider isn't a good match, we'll find another one.

In this video, BRian Boyle, PT, DPT talks about the importance of finding the right provider for your program.

This emphasis on matching the right therapist to our customers is one reason why our providers' average tenure is over five years. This lengthy service helps our providers thoroughly understand the customer's work environment and become a trusted healthcare resource for employees.

Setting Up the Clinical Space

Another significant part of the 170-step process is setting up, equipping, and launching the physical space. We work hand-in-hand with customers, taking all the guesswork of building a clinic. You focus on your business while we manage all the work and details of configuring the clinic, installing IT resources and software, training staff, and planning the in-house announcement of the clinic. If you need new equipment, we'll order it for you and install it when it arrives.

Launching Services to Employees

We also produce internal marketing materials to promote the clinic's services to your employees and collaborate with your stakeholders on a plan to roll out the services.

After the clinic's launch, we regularly meet with the organization to measure the progress of the program and ensure its success.