News and Updates
5/28/2008
Concentra Health Tips Keep America Cool and Comfortable
Concentra, a leader in the delivery of health care solutions, is providing important health tips to keep your family safe and healthy this summer vacation season. Summer fun often means summer sun, but it is important to take the necessary precautions when exposing yourself to a day of rays.
According to the Transportation Security Administration, Memorial Day Weekend marks the start of the summer travel season, and extends through Labor Day – one of the busiest times for travel in the U.S. To help Americans have a safe and healthy summer vacation, Concentra is urging those who will be visiting the nation’s many lakes and beaches to use sun protection to avoid serious skin conditions. With more than 320 national Concentra Urgent Care clinics, their skilled clinicians can provide expert care for minor injuries or illnesses, no matter where your destination may be.
"Especially during the summer months, everyone should protect themselves with UVA/UVB sun block, with an SPF rating of 15 or higher," said Amy J. Khan, M.D., M.P.H., Concentra’s National Director for Wellness TotalCare. “Anyone with an extended period of sun exposure should apply and reapply sun block throughout the day to avoid sun rash, sun burns, or possible skin cancer.
For those individuals who must work in the summer’s intense heat, Dr. Khan recommends wearing light weight, loose fitting clothing. "Wearing the appropriate clothing for outdoor activities during the summer season can help keep you cool and dry, thereby preventing possible heat exhaustion," she says. "Being cool and comfortable helps make any summer activity more tolerable.”
Another important tip is to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids, Khan says. "The sun’s intense rays can drain a person of fluids and energy. By continually drinking water, your skin stays hydrated, and you stay cooler and more refreshed."
Despite the best laid plans, accidents or illnesses are sometimes unavoidable, even on vacation. Luckily Concentra provides treatment for a wide range of minor injuries and illnesses, including insect bites, sun burns, seasonal allergies, sprained tendons, and many other conditions that are common throughout the summer season and beyond. With more than 320 national locations, many with weekend and extended evening hours, Concentra delivers the care you need, when you need it most.
Download the entire list of summer health tips.
4/28/2008
Concentra Adds Urgent Care Services to All Medical Centers
Concentra, a leader in the delivery of health care solutions, announced today it has added levels of urgent care service to all 324 Concentra Medical Centers in more than 40 states across the country. This expansion makes Concentra currently the only health care organization with a national presence to offer urgent care services to the general public.
Through its network of affiliated clinicians, Concentra Urgent Care serves the general public and treats a wide variety of common illnesses, including skin conditions, seasonal allergies, lacerations, fractures, sprains, and strains. Additional services include diagnostic tests, preventive screenings, physical exams, vaccinations, physical therapy, and more. The centers are staffed with physicians and medical providers experienced in urgent care cases as well as family practice and occupational medicine. Depending on the specific clinical, equipment, and operational makeup of each medical center, Concentra Urgent Care locations treat minors, ranging from 6 months of age and older, to adults.
“Our national expansion into urgent care allows us the opportunity to provide skillful care to thousands of patients across the country, at times when a primary care physician may be unavailable,” says W. Tom Fogarty, MD, Concentra’s Chief Medical Officer. “When a patient visits a Concentra Urgent Care Medical Center, we can report back to his/her primary care physician as part of our commitment to provide exceptional patient care.” Fogarty says that Concentra hopes its efforts will alleviate non-emergency visits to hospital emergency rooms. “Life- and limb-threatening emergencies should still be treated at the nearest hospital emergency room, but colds, flu, strep throat, minor scrapes, burns, and other non-life threatening injuries can be treated in our urgent care facilities – in most cases much faster and less expensively than in an emergency room visit.”
The multi-disciplined team leading the national expansion of Concentra Urgent Care holds extensive experience in consumer-driven health care solutions and retail operations. One member of the team, Alan Ayers, serves as a content advisor to the Urgent Care Association of America and has developed retail solutions for several major organizations. As Assistant Vice President of Product Development, Ayers is working with Concentra’s clinical, operational, and sales teams to develop patient-centric solutions that are convenient, cost-effective, and emphasize quality outcomes.
“Concentra understands the challenges facing health care in the United States and is responding with solutions to make health care more accessible and affordable. By adding urgent care to our existing occupational medicine operation, we will significantly enhance our national presence in the consumer health arena,” said Ayers.
Unlike the retail industry that has recently added medical services to its array of products, Concentra has been delivering exemplary medical care to the nation’s workforce for nearly 30 years. And unlike big-box retail outlets, at Concentra Urgent Care, the primary focus is quality and affordable patient care.
As a leader in occupational health care services, Concentra has been at the forefront of the health industry. Applying its successful outcomes-based health care model to primary care, the company is delivering proven solutions, in and out of its medical centers. The national expansion of Concentra Urgent Care furthers the company’s mission of improving the health of America, one patient at a time.
“Urgent care providers fill the gap that sometimes exists between a primary physician and an emergency room. The ability of an urgent care center to provide episodic care for acute, non-life-threatening illness and injury is a critical component of any community’s health system. National expansions like Concentra’s continues that effort,” said Lou Ellen Horwitz, Executive Director of the Urgent Care Association of America.
According to the Division of Health Care Statistics, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, only 15 percent of presenting patients at hospital emergency rooms were triaged as emergent cases. Concentra Urgent Care offers a new option, easing the strain on the system, while providing patients with the same level of superior medical treatment, in a welcoming environment of respectfulness and care.
In many major insurance plans, urgent care co-payments are substantially lower than co-payments required for a trip to the Emergency Room. Concentra accepts numerous national group health insurance plans and is continuously adding more plans. To learn more about the national expansion of Concentra Urgent Care, a complete list of accepted insurance plans, or to find a Concentra location, visit ConcentraUrgentCare.com.
11/6/2007
Concentra Hits Home Run with Sports Injury Prevention Handbook
Concentra recently co-sponsored the creation and distribution of a Sports Injury Prevention Handbook with the Frisco RoughRiders, a minor league baseball team near Dallas.
The handbook is designed to inform athletes and the general public about common sports injuries and ways they can be treated and prevented. It describes proper workout techniques and includes an activity log where exercises can be measured and progress can be tracked. The handbook draws upon close to 30 years of medical expertise that Concentra has been providing as a leader in primary care health services, including the company’s Urgent Care service offering.
"At our Urgent Care centers, our physicians treat many sports-related injuries each day," said Concentra’s Chief Medical Officer, W. Tom Fogarty, M.D. "The Sports Injury Prevention handbook blends our medical experience with helpful tips for practical use."
The Handbook has been a popular resource at Dallas-area Concentra Urgent Care Centers and the RoughRiders’ ballpark in Frisco.
Concentra is proud to offer the Sports Injury Prevention Handbook at no charge to youth athletic coaches, trainers, and athletes. If you are interested in receiving individual or multiple copies of the handbook, simply e-mail Nancy Buttyan at nancy_buttyan@concentra.com.
10/17/2007
Concentra Urgent Care Expands in Michigan
Concentra Targets Detroit to Launch National Roll Out of Concentra Urgent Care - Expands Services in 16 Medical Centers in Michigan
DETROIT, Michigan – Concentra Medical Centers, known nationally as the leader of occupational health care serving employers and their employees, has selected Detroit as its first major market to launch its national roll out of urgent care – expanding medical services in 16 Concentra Medical Centers bringing the total to 20 urgent care facilities across Michigan. Concentra has contracts to serve more than 65% of individuals covered by private insurance in Michigan, totaling more than 5.7 million people. This multi-million dollar effort in Detroit and across Michigan will result in the delivery of cost effective, convenient, and high quality health care to the general public.
Concentra Urgent Care Medical Centers will serve the general public and treat a wide variety of common illnesses, adult illnesses, pediatric illnesses, skin conditions, trauma, pediatric injury, diagnostic tests, preventive screenings, physical exams, vaccinations, physical therapy and more. The centers are staffed with Board-certified physicians and clinicians who are experienced in urgent care cases as well as family practice and occupational medicine.
Research shows that up to 84% of the patients waiting for treatment in hospital emergency rooms don’t have medical emergencies. Their cases may be urgent, but not life or limb threatening. A recent Blue Cross and Blue Shield study shows emergency room costs are 686% higher than the cost for the same level of quality medical care received at an urgent care facility. Many major insurance companies categorize urgent care facilities as primary care, so co-payments may be substantially lower than co-payments required for a trip to the Emergency Room. Concentra accepts numerous group health insurance plans including Aetna, BeechStreet, Evolutions, Great West, Humana, NPPN, PPOM, ppoNext, and United MI.
“We are not looking to replace Primary Care Physicians. We want to be there for patients when their physicians are not available. We will report back to a patient’s primary care physician on a patient’s visit to a Concentra Urgent Care Medical Center,” said (W. Tom Fogarty, MD, Chief Medical Offer). “Furthermore, we hope our efforts will alleviate non-emergency visits to hospital emergency rooms. Life and limb threatening emergencies should still head to their nearest hospital emergency room, but colds, flus, strep throats, minor scrapes, burns, etc. can be treated in our facilities, much faster and are less expensive than an emergency room visit.”
Concentra’s 16 expanded Concentra Medical Centers across Michigan include locations in Chesterfield, Fraser, Novi, Southfield, Ann Arbor, Brighton, Lansing, Allen Park, Taylor, Detroit, 2 in Romulus, 2 in Grand Rapids, and 2 in Livonia; joining the existing 4 centers in Pontiac, Sterling Heights,Troy and Warren. Hours vary by location and details are available on www.ConcentraUrgentCare.com.
Concentra has been delivering cost–effective, industry leading occupational health care to employers and their employees since 1979. In the past, Concentra has only served businesses and their employees with workers’ compensation management, injury care, drug screens, pre-placement physicals, safety training, and more. With 320 centers in 40 states, Concentra has extensive experience in the health care arena. The company has the existing infrastructure, physicians, nurses and clinicians for the employer community that lends itself to expansion to the general public.
“We believe that the success we’ve had in delivering cost savings to businesses while delivering expert health care to employees puts us at an advantage. We have the experience, existing infrastructure, physicians, nurses, and clinicians to fill a void in the marketplace by offering medical care to individuals when family doctors are not available and the ailment is not life threatening,” added (Fogarty) “We can do this at an affordable price with our existing team of health care professionals at our state-of-the art medical centers.”
About Concentra
Concentra is a leading health care company that strives to make health care accessible and affordable. The company, through its affiliated providers, offers a broad range of services that provide quality patient care for work-related injuries while containing the rising costs of occupational health care and workers’ compensation. The company operates 320 medical centers in 40 states and more than 270 on-site medical facilities at employer locations throughout the nation. Through its affiliated providers, Concentra also provides urgent care services at a growing number of its medical center locations to serve the gap between primary care physicians and the emergency room. www.concentra.com.
5/3/2007
Concentra Expands Urgent Care Services
Opens Urgent Care Centers in Atlanta and Dallas
ADDISON, Texas – Concentra Health Services, Inc. ("Concentra"), a leading provider of occupational health care services, announced today that it has expanded its presence with the opening of Concentra Urgent Care centers in Atlanta, GA, and Dallas, TX. The openings mark the launch of an aggressive expansion plan and join existing Concentra Urgent Care centers in Greater Detroit, MI; Flagstaff, AZ; and Houston and Waco, TX. Learn More...
With over twenty-five years in the health care industry, Concentra clinicians and staff treat over 500,000 injuries annually. This experience uniquely positions its medical centers and staff to fill the gap between a patient’s Primary Care Physician (PCP) and the Emergency Room (ER). By utilizing its existing health care operations, Concentra provides superior urgent care during the day and after hours at a fraction of the cost for an ER visit. Expedited check-in and check-out procedures will result in drastically lower wait-times at Concentra Urgent Care, while easing non-emergency cases in ERs and allowing them to focus on true emergency cases.
Commenting on the announcement, Keith Newton, President of Concentra Health Services said, "Concentra’s mission is to make health care accessible and affordable. By introducing an Urgent Care model into our existing occupational medicine operation, we will significantly enhance our national presence in the health care arena. We are pleased that our Urgent Care Centers will allow us to serve the medical needs in these metropolitan areas, and nationally, as we expand our geographic footprint."
Concentra Urgent Care was also designed to complement the services provided by PCPs. Family physicians can instruct their answering services to refer their patients when their offices are closed, then Concentra will report back to the physician with a detailed record of the patient’s treatment. Concentra Urgent Care offers health care services during the day, with extended hours in the evening, and on weekends and holidays.
W. Tom Fogarty, M.D., Concentra’s Chief Medical Officer added, "Today’s research shows a clear need for quality urgent care throughout the day and after regular business hours. Many people, particularly parents and other caregivers, need a cost-effective, convenient alternative to the ER that is also available when their doctors’ offices are closed. Our physicians are experienced and licensed clinicians and specialists who embrace Concentra’s commitment to quality patient care."
About Concentra Urgent Care Medical Centers
Headquartered in Addison, Texas, Concentra Urgent Care strives to make health care accessible and affordable by offering quality urgent care services to fill the gap between PCPs and the ER. Concentra Urgent Care is a wholly owned subsidiary of Concentra Health Services (www.concentrahealth.com), and Concentra Inc. (www.concentra.com), a leading health care company serving the occupational, auto and group health care markets. Concentra provides employers, insurers and payors with a series of integrated services that include employment-related injury and occupational health care, and other cost-containment services including in-network and out-of-network medical claims review and repricing.
Copyright © 2008 Concentra Inc.
Concentra is an equal opportunity employer