Health screenings and primary care, better together

Are company-sponsored biometric screenings still necessary if employees also have the option of seeing a primary care provider? It’s a fair question that some employers are asking as they look to simplify benefits. But the answer is a resounding yes. Both care touchpoints are more important than ever.

While primary care plays a vital role in long-term health management, biometric screenings serve as a powerful catalyst to help employees better prepare for their doctor visits, understand their health risks earlier, and take more informed action. Rather than being redundant, screenings and primary care work best as a team. Combining the 2 delivers better outcomes, higher engagement, and greater value for employers and employees alike.

Screenings kick-start more productive primary care visits

Biometric screenings provide a foundational snapshot of employee health by measuring key indicators like blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose, and more. These data points identify risk earlier and equip employees to have more productive conversations with their primary care providers.

It’s no secret that doctors’ visits are limited in time. So, getting screened beforehand empowers employees to arrive informed and ready to act, making those precious minutes with their doctor more meaningful and productive.

The foundation of a screening program becomes even more important when employee access to primary care is limited or sporadic—an issue facing millions of workers today.

Screenings reach employees PCPs often can’t

Not everyone has a primary care provider. In fact, about one-third of Americans lack a PCP,¹ leading to increased ER usage as well as increased risks and costs for employers.

Many employees—especially those in shift-based, hourly, or remote roles—face logistical barriers to taking time off for a doctor visit, even if they do have an established PCP. Additionally, provider shortages in many areas of the country exacerbate long wait times to see a doctor.

That’s where company-sponsored biometric screenings, like Workforce Health Solutions from Quest Diagnostics, make a significant difference. A screening program may help employers reach employees where they are, whether on-site at the workplace, at 1 of more than 2,000 Quest Patient Service Centers, or through self-collection kits sent to an employee’s home.

Screenings build health literacy and bridge care gaps

Biometric screenings often serve as a gateway to greater health awareness. The fear of a difficult conversation or a scary diagnosis keeps many people from visiting their doctor regularly. But a convenient health screening may be a more comfortable, low-stakes setting to uncover more about their health.

Screenings have the power to demystify health data and help employees:

• Understand what their numbers mean
• Recognize when action is needed
• Engage with their provider earlier—before a condition becomes costly or harder to treat

Screenings serve as a pathway to action

Biometric screenings are just the first step in your organization’s health journey. With a robust wellness program like Quest Workforce Health Solutions in place, screenings open the door to:

• Health coaching and chronic condition support
• Virtual review of results with licensed professionals
• Integration with PCPs through shareable results
• Data-driven analytics that help employers track engagement and outcomes

Employers can even benchmark their population health against Quest’s 60 billion+ anonymized data points—giving them unique insight into risks and opportunities for improvement.

A balanced approach with biometric screenings and PCP visits

Start thinking of biometric screenings as a strategic lever for employee health and organizational performance.

Screenings will never replace primary care, but they may spark action that moves employees toward a doctor visit. And for employers, that action matters. Broadly, people with unmanaged chronic conditions drive 90% of US healthcare costs.² More specifically for your organization, delayed diagnoses lead to more expensive treatments, more time away from work, and greater strain on your health plan.

Combining biometric screenings and PCP visits instead of PCP-only models is a smart move, and may help your organization:

• Improve early detection of serious conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and cancer
• Boost employee engagement with their health
• Reduce absenteeism and presenteeism
• Control rising healthcare costs

At Quest, we make it easy for employers—and their employees—to combine screenings with primary care to improve outcomes and reduce costs. By providing trusted, easy access to care at scale, your Workforce Health Solutions program may lead to higher participation, more equitable health access, and a more resilient workforce.