QuikTrip Corp. has opened a health clinic for its workers in the Kansas City, Mo. area, the Kansas City Star reported.

 

Located in Belton, Mo., the clinic is the second established by the c-store chain. The first was opened two years ago at the company’s headquarters in Tulsa, Okla.

 

The clinic assures QuikTrip employees that their health information is handled confidentially and separately from their employment information.

 

The Belton facility is open half days Mondays through Fridays and run by Care ATC, a national provider of on-site medical clinics. The clinic provides free primary care services to about 790 area QuikTrip employees and their dependents.

 

“The clinics allow us to approach our employees’ health proactively to improve it while controlling costs,” Walter Smith, benefits and casualty claims manager for QuikTrip Corp.  told the Kansas City Star. “The clinics are a win-win for us and for our employees.”

 

More employers are using on-site health clinics to cut health care expenses through wellness initiatives.

 

 “Because the focus is on preventive care, health care costs decrease as employees and their families experience fewer catastrophic health claims,” said Paul Keeling, Care ATC’s director of sales.

 

A Watson Wyatt/National Business Group on Health survey found that 29% of large U.S. companies this year provide or plan to provide on-site health services for their employees.