The future of workforce wellness: In-person meets virtual care to unlock employee potential
In a world of instant connections, where almost everything is readily available at the touch of a button, meaningful access to high-quality, personalized healthcare continues to lag. Patients struggle to access the right care when and where they need it most, but that doesn't have to be the case.
By creating a secure digital interface that can connect a patient's healthcare experience across in-person and virtual care delivery points, patients can experience the best of both worlds: the desired one-on-one, safe and high-quality in-person visits, combined with the convenience, accessibility and lower cost of virtual care. Employers and benefit consultants can, and should, tap into digitally integrated care offerings to improve outcomes for employees and solve the never-ending problem of real-time access to health solutions. In fact, 74% of employers are looking to integrated in-person and virtual care in 2025, according to the Business Group on Health employer survey.
Hybrid care: The key to a healthier workforce
Waiting for healthcare isn't just inconvenient—it's often a barrier to getting better. Employees need ready access to cost-effective healthcare that goes beyond the walls of a hospital and the traditional nine-to-five hours of typical brick-and-mortar solutions. After-hours access is often a fragmented experience, and navigating care from an acute visit to the necessary follow-up can feel like an insurmountable challenge for the patient. Connecting in-person and virtual healthcare addresses common pain points, like care navigation and timely access to the right care venue, to empower employees in managing their own health.
With so many different care options available, and limited access after traditional hours, patients and employees are often left overwhelmed about what type of care they need and where they should turn to get it. This leads to ERs overflowing with people who may have other care options, simply because they don't know where else to go for help. Patients need to be directed and treated with the right acuity level.
According to a study conducted by Deloitte, 64% of consumers prefer virtual healthcare due to convenience and better appointment times. People want to feel better as soon as possible and return to their normal careers, families and lives.
With seamless transitions between virtual and in-person visits, it's easier to connect with providers for more frequent check-ins and monitoring, making it more likely for patients to identify potential issues early on and minimize emergency visits. This also helps patients with chronic conditions, like diabetes or depression, stay on track with their treatment to prevent more serious complications in the future. For instance, a recent study of telehealth users showed 88.6 fewer ER visits per 1,000 individuals annually, compared to non-users. That's approximately an 8.9% reduction in ER utilization, simply from introducing a virtual venue of care.
While virtual care offers increased accessibility and convenience, in-person care remains essential for patients who prefer face-to-face interactions or when a condition requires physical examination to address their full healthcare journey. The integrated care model offers employees the best of both worlds, ensuring high-quality care by guiding patients across their care journey and enabling seamless handoffs between care settings to effectively break down the silos between virtual and in-person spaces.
Strategies to provide cost-saving, hybrid care to employees
According to the American Psychological Association, 92% of employees claim it's important to work for an organization that values their overall well-being. By implementing strategies that emphasize well-being, employers can effectively offer integrated healthcare that improves productivity and reduces healthcare costs in the long run.
1. Leverage technology for coordinated care: Digital health platforms like Levanto, powered by Baylor Scott & White Health, one of the most comprehensive digital solutions in the healthcare market, improves patients' access to in-person and virtual primary and specialty care, plus reduces the burden of scheduling in-person visits. Keep in mind, technology certainly is enhancing patients' ability to access care, but it's not enough alone. There needs to be clear guidance, coordination of care and navigation support, all grounded in a commitment to high-quality, safe care.
2. Adopt an integrated, holistic healthcare model: When organizations offer employees multiple point solutions, care can be fragmented. Comprehensive, personalized programs that address physical and mental health—both virtually and in-person—offer a connected experience, simplifying the healthcare journey. It is important to ensure that your healthcare offerings include not only the benefits needed for regular check-ups, but also access to behavioral health support, chronic condition management, maternal health services, weight management support and more. By leveraging both digital and in-person care, you not only offer efficient, high-quality care, but also maximize the meaningful use of traditional brick-and-mortar solutions. This improves access to the often necessary in-person services that can be difficult to access in today's healthcare environment.
3. Offer seamless virtual and in-person care navigation: Navigating the healthcare system can be confusing. It's often difficult for patients to know where to start. Providing employees a health concierge or navigation service ensures they know which providers to consult and how to access virtual or in-person care quickly. The critical piece of the integrated healthcare model is that it can address the patients' entire healthcare journey—not just stop if they require in-person care from a provider. Integrating virtual and in-person care domains and enabling coordination across the patient's entire journey allows for seamless transitions between settings, improved efficiency, enhanced safety and a continuous, personalized experience for the patient.
4. Educate and provide easy-to-access resources: Provide ongoing trainings and resources to educate employees about proactively managing their health, understanding their benefits and utilizing available healthcare resources effectively.
Say goodbye to the healthcare of the past
Hybrid healthcare solutions are increasingly becoming available to make patient care more accessible. People deserve better when it comes to their healthcare. That's why our team at Baylor Scott & White Health brings you Levanto. Levanto brings in-person and virtual care together, with the backing of one of the largest health systems in the country, to empower patients and employees in managing their health.
From advanced care navigation to mental health offerings and more, it's critical to offer employees the platform they need to access the right care at the right time and lowest possible cost. Empower your workforce with integrated healthcare offerings—seamlessly connecting care, cutting costs and bringing employees back to their best, faster than ever.
Tap into Levanto's digital solutions at levanto.health.
