• 
• CLASS
• JOBS
• AUTO
• HOMES

Walworth company to open on-site clinic

Photo

Photo by Dan Lassiter

The on-site clinic at Miniature Precision Components of Walworth features a fully stocked examination room.

Photo

Photo by Dan Lassiter

Minature Precision Components of Walworth will soon open a new on-site health clinic.

The trip to get a checkup could be as short as a walk across the street for employees of Miniature Precision Components starting Aug. 2.

The Walworth company, which makes thermoplastic components for the automotive industry, is opening an on-site medical clinic that will handle everything from routine physical exams to writing prescriptions.

The company hopes the clinic will help it control health care costs and encourage healthy habits among employees.

The MPC InHealth Wellness Clinic will be a partnership between Miniature Precision Components and Interra Health of Franklin, which provides work-site wellness programs and on-site clinics.

A nurse practitioner and a medical assistant will offer primary and urgent care to employees and their families. Medical services will be free for employees on the company health plan and $25 per visit for those who are not.

The clinic will offer routine exams, lab tests, prescriptions, immunizations, screenings and blood pressure and glucose monitoring. It also will offer care for cold and flu symptoms, ear infections, sinus infections, minor burns and rashes and work-related injuries.

Everyone who uses the clinic will be required to have insurance because the clinic does not offer comprehensive service and patients might need to be referred to other providers for more involved care.

John Rau, environmental, health and safety manager, said Miniature Precision Components started exploring the idea of improved care and controlled costs after learning that most physicians have almost no incentive to make their patients well. Instead, Rau said, doctors have almost every incentive to keep patients coming back, paying for services and tapping into their insurance plans.

“We started looking into bringing health care to the company to control our costs as well as focus on real care,” he said.

“We’ve been building our wellness programs and offerings since 2002 because it’s no secret that health care costs are skyrocketing. How can you control that? People aren’t getting well.

“We want to give them the opportunity to get that real one-on-one care that will make them well.”

Trishya Brown of Interra Health said Interra gives patients acute care, educates them and helps them take ownership of their health care.

“We want to empower people,” she said. “We want them to take a more proactive approach to their health care.”

Brown said Miniature Precision Components would be better able to control its costs because of fixed-cost pricing for services. She said employees will have access to personalized service, among the other perks, including lower cost and more convenience.

Miniature Precision Components employs about 1,500 people in Walworth, Delavan and other cities in Wisconsin as well as in Michigan, Arizona and Mexico.

Janette Berry, benefits administrator, said about 550 employees from the Walworth and Delavan locations are likely to use the clinic for their basic health care needs. She said about 80 percent are on the company health plan and will receive care for free.

“We’ve received such positive feedback from people here,” she said. “We’re excited, and they’re excited about it.”