Giorgio Companies, St. Joseph unveil doctor’s office on wheels
Giorgio Companies and Penn State Health St. Joseph unveiled a new doctor’s office on wheels, during a press event on Oct. 6 at Giorgio Can Corp., Blandon.
The new mobile health initiative for employees will promote health and wellness and manage healthcare costs, providing weekly primary health care services onsite at five Giorgio facilities. The program is part of Giorgio’s larger effort to ensure its employees are maintaining good health, and to create a culture of wellness by providing convenient access to medical care, according to the company’s release.
The Health One is a renovated, specially-marked and fully equipped 32-foot mobile healthcare vehicle, a renovated RV that St. Joe’s purchased from Boat ‘n RV in Hamburg. The master bedroom was converted into a doctor’s office. Health One is staffed by a physician’s assistant or nurse practitioner, as well as a medical assistant and a technician.
“I’m very excited. I think it’s a fine new initiative,” said Peter Giorgi, President and CEO, Giorgio Group of Companies. “I think it’s a new way forward in healthcare, in access to healthcare, bringing healthcare to people who have busy lives.”
“I am so excited and so honestly happy that we could bring this to fruition in terms of really bringing healthcare to people in an accessible location and a work site is an accessible location for many employees,” said John R. Morahan, President and CEO, Penn State Health St. Joseph, Bern Township.
Morahan said in the healthcare industry there is a high concentration of high tech and the latest and greatest, but in terms of where really people receive their healthcare, maintaining a healthy lifestyle and preventing disease really starts at accessibility to primary care services.
“In terms of really transforming healthcare, it starts at the primary care level. And really in terms of delivering the service this is a very transformative and innovative way of getting people accessibility to healthcare,” said Morahan.
Morahan said Giorgio Companies and Penn State Health St. Joseph both have the same entrepreneurial spirit.
“In short order we were able really to manifest this today so that people get the right care in the right place so that they can live a healthier lifestyle,” said Morahan who thanked Giorgi and Gina Delillo, Vice President, Giorgi Companies & Director Human Resources, “for having the vision to help us bring this to reality for the company and their employees and dependents.”
Delillo said in a release that Giorgio leadership’s search for a work site health option began after listening to its employees and understanding the challenges they face in maintaining good health. She said it became apparent that the constant demands of home and work prevent many from taking the necessary time needed to maintain good health.
“Additionally, our health data showed that the majority of our employees do not take advantage of the yearly and age related physicals that are offered by our (benefits) plan,” said Delillo in the release. “Primary doctors are ‘crucial’ in maintaining good health for the future.”
Delillo explained that Penn State Health St. Joseph bills directly to Giorgio’s insurance provider as well as any insurance provider that its employees may have. She said this makes the mobile solution even more easy and convenient.
She believes that the mobile outreach will reduce Giorgio’s overall health care cost as it will “allow us to manage chronic conditions, and enable us to discover issues earlier and provide the necessary treatment to our employees.”
She also hopes to see “improved retention and recruitment as current and future employees see our commitment to invest in their health and well-being.”
Giorgi said Giorgio Group of Companies wants to help employees to go to the doctor more often.
“They work very hard for us. We value their service tremendously. They also have busy lives at home,” he said.
Giorgi said this is a convenient way to have access to a primary care physician to prevent more serious problems.
“The earlier they can detect and recognize potential problems ... the better prepared they are, the better equipped,” said Giorgi.
Giorgi said this also helps reduce healthcare costs and reduces absenteeism which affects payroll and production.
Company wide, including their farms and processing plant, there are about 2,500 employees. That number can rise and fall depending on the season. The Health One, which already started making visits, will be stationed at a different Giorgio work site four days a week offering primary medical care services to employees who have pre-scheduled appointments set up with the company human resources. Employees have access to Health One before or after work, or during their work day, on their lunch break or coffee break. Soon this accessibility will also be available to employee dependents.
Health One’s first patient was employee Rufino Caneelario, a mushroom irrigator.
“It’s very good for us because the unit is close to where we work,” he said. “I hope it stays there for a very long time because it’s very convenient.”
Employee Lilliana Santiango of Temple said Health One is very beneficial for employees.
“This saves time not going to the doctor, I can just go from work right into the mobile unit,” she said.
Angel Rivera of Reading, a supervisor on the production floor, has worked for Giorgio Fresh for nine years.
“I think it’s a good idea because sometimes you don’t have a chance to go see a doctor,” said Rivera, who likes that Health One visits the company’s five facilities. “Sometimes they don’t have the time or the transportation to go the doctor.”
St. Joseph nurse practitioner Cheresha Samuels believes that the mobile unit gives a great opportunity for those who have not been able to reach health care for numerous reasons.
“I think this is a step in the right direction, a big leap for health care,” said Samuels.
St. Joseph medical assistant Leisha Ravel wanted to be involved in the initiative because it’s something different and exciting.
“This is something that’s available to anyone to make it a lot better and easier to maker sure you’re healthy,” said Ravel.
Samuels said the response has been positive. Many of the people she has seen have not been to a primary care provider, many in their 50s and 60s and have a sense of relief to finally see a primary care provider.
“It’s very convenient for them,” said Samuels.
“It usually takes about a half hour. I think that gives them a lot of relief that it doesn’t take the long,” said Ravel.
Giorgi thanked Delillo, Morahan and others at St. Joe’s for their efforts to make this initiative possible and “for the opportunity to make healthcare affordable, frequent and regular care available to our employees.”
“We want to encourage other people to take advantage of this,” said Giorgi. “(Penn State Health St. Joseph) developed the whole idea jointly with us. This was not initially the solution that we had in mind, this was not something we thought was possible. They came up with this and we liked it very much. They believe it’s the way forward.”
Morahan also hopes other companies will use Health One.
“This is something St. Joe’s wants to do,” said Morahan, transforming access to preventative healthcare for a busy society.
“We’re all busy. If it can be convenient and accessible, we think we’re going to improve the health status of the population in Berks County,” said Morahan.