Dental and medical care have always been treated as separate entities. However, there’s a strong connection between oral health and overall health, causing many to wonder: Why are these services still separate?
While having separate services and insurance plans is the norm for many businesses, a key part of improving corporate health is staying up to date with new trends, which includes the integration of dental and medical benefits.
Keep reading to learn the advantages of integrating dental and medical care, potential challenges, and how concierge doctor services are compatible with integrated health systems.
Benefits of Integrated Healthcare
Did you know that 88% of workers report that employment-based health insurance is extremely or very important?
That said, it’s in a company's best interest to offer their employees the best healthcare package possible—and adopting an integrated health system is the key to achieving this. Here’s how:
Better Overall Employee Health
There are multiple benefits of integrating dental and medical care systems, starting with better communication between healthcare providers. Why is this important?
Because poor communication can result in missed opportunities for early diagnosis and inconsistent treatment plans.
In fact, about 85% of dental providers report that patient records, when sent by secure email or fax to other providers, are not received by other health care organizations at least some of the time.
With increasing evidence suggesting a relationship between oral health and a range of chronic illnesses—such as periodontal inflammatory conditions being linked to diabetes, myocardial infarction, coronary artery disease, stroke, preeclampsia, and rheumatoid arthritis—improved communication can result in better long-term health outcomes.
Increased Employee Productivity
Companies are now realizing that better health directly translates to enhanced productivity, which is why integrated health systems are becoming increasingly popular in the corporate world. So how are these two things connected?
It’s simple: Integrated health plans lead to better health outcomes; better health leads to fewer sick days; fewer sick days mean higher productivity.
The same applies to workers who come to work sick. This state, referred to as presenteeism, is used to describe employees who are physically present at work but not fully functioning due to health issues. This is both a productivity and financial concern, estimated to cost more than $150 billion per year in the United States.
On the other hand, having a healthcare plan that covers all aspects of an employee’s well-being—from checkups to dental care and mental health—means companies can enjoy a more engaged workforce, higher employee retention, and increased efficiency.
Simplified Administration for Employers
There’s an extra layer of complexity when it comes to operating separate dental and health insurance systems. That said, integrating these two systems means your team can enjoy simpler administrative processes, such as streamlined enrollment procedures, unified claims management, and reduced vendor coordination, enabling your HR team to focus on more strategic initiatives.
Employees also benefit from a more cohesive experience, with a single point of contact for all their health-related needs. This reduces confusion and fosters better engagement with their benefits package.
Common Challenges in Integration
While integrating dental and medical systems has many long-term benefits, there are multiple challenges companies may face during this transition, including:
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- Initial time and cost requirements: As with anything in business, company-wide changes do have upfront costs. When it comes to healthcare integration, your company may need to restructure existing plans, upgrade technology, and provide staff training. This ensures both administration and employees are properly equipped to manage new plans and take full advantage of new healthcare benefits.
- Compliance issues: Whether you have two separate systems or an integrated health system, one thing is clear: compliance is key. This is especially important in data sharing, where data security, data consistency, and risk management are all large concerns. While this may be an obstacle, there are ways to mitigate risks, such as conducting regular compliance audits, ensuring all staff are properly trained, and partnering with a company that specializes in compliant care coordination.
- Choosing the right integration strategy: During this transition, companies will want to choose the most effective route toward improving company-wide health benefits. Since every company is different, this may include internally re-evaluating your entire medical care system and partnering with an insurance provider that offers bundled dental and medical plans. Or it may mean keeping existing systems but leveraging concierge doctor services to bridge the gap between medical and dental care.
How Concierge Doctors Support Integrated Systems
The adoption of concierge doctors in the corporate world is on the rise. These doctors, who have a membership-fee healthcare model, provide a modern approach to healthcare that prioritizes patient-focused care.
So how does this support integrated care?
This approach doesn’t necessarily integrate dental and medical benefits. Instead, concierge doctors provide comprehensive care coordination and referrals to top specialists, ensuring your team receives the care they need.
Since concierge doctors support individuals throughout their entire healthcare journey, they’ll guarantee that important health records are properly shared between dental and medical professionals. This ensures proper diagnosis, reduces medical errors, helps with tasks such as appointment scheduling, and ultimately helps your team navigate complex healthcare systems.
While not the only option available, concierge doctors offer a shortcut to enjoying the benefits of integrated care. Your team can enjoy more coordinated care and better health outcomes without having to worry about restructuring existing plans and the challenges that come with it.
Companies must stay up to date with current health trends to keep their employees happy, improve productivity, and create a more health-conscious workforce.
While health has always been important, studies show that individuals are prioritizing it now more than ever. In fact, a CVS Health Study found that people are taking greater control of their health as a result of the pandemic.
CVS Health President and CEO Karen S. Lynch comments on this, stating, “These shifts toward personalized care have the potential to impact our health care system well past the pandemic, with many people taking a more engaged approach to their own health. Going forward, we have an opportunity to take what we’ve learned and continue to foster an integrated health model that is centered around the needs of the individual.”
As company leaders, it’s our responsibility to support these health trends, ensuring our team has access to reliable, coordinated care that keeps our workforce healthy. While there are various ways to accomplish this, integrating dental and medical care provides more coordinated care, helping improve long-term health outcomes.