ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, April 30, 1996 TAG: 9604300093
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: KATHY LU STAFF WRITER
THE CLINIC FOR Roanoke workers not only makes for healthy personnel, but also helps lower the city's insurance premiums.
Marquita Brown can't count how many times her patients have told her, "Ms. Brown, if I had a choice between food and [health] insurance, there's no choice."
Thanks to Brown and Roanoke's Occupational Health Services clinic, 2,000 people don't have to make that choice.
The clinic offers city employees a range of free services, including full physicals, blood work and minor surgeries such as mole removals. Patients also can get prescriptions, and free annual flu vaccinations and paid blood work are available for employees' spouses.
"This is a way to help those employees who can't afford health care," Brown said. "I wanted to have them come in early, evaluate them and alleviate any major health problems. Having them healthy and working is ultimately more productive and helpful to the community."
Brown, a certified occupational health nurse, started the clinic 10 years ago to help city employees stay healthy. It began in an 800-square-foot room with one full-time secretary.
Now, Brown has a new 2,500-square-foot office and two part-time physicians who were hired in April 1995. The combination has increased the office's workload - Brown has seen 1,800 patients since January, and about 75 percent of those visits have been with a doctor.
"Having physicians in-house has far exceeded my expectations of how many employees come in," she said. "They feel like they're getting a very professional service, and the new building gives us space to perform confidentially."
The services are partially responsible for the 20 percent decrease in health-care premiums for city employees this fiscal year, said Ken Cronin, manager of personnel management. Last fiscal year, premiums dropped by 5 percent.
Because the city is self-insured, it pays about 90 percent of the employee's premiums, said Michelle Bono, public information coordinator. Therefore, any decrease in premiums would save the taxpayers money.
But Cronin does not expect the drop to continue.
"Health-care rates will likely go up next year," he said. "We haven't raised the rates in three years, and we can't ultimately keep reducing rates."
The city has proposed a budget of about $200,000 for the clinic next year, said personnel administrator Barry Agnew. That would include salaries, rent and all other operating costs. Brown is also looking forward to remodeling the office to add two exam rooms to the existing three.
Most employees believe the money is well-spent.
"This is probably one of the best employee benefits the city has," said Doug Chittum, economic development administrator. "I don't have a family doctor, and I know that I would not take the time to go to a doctor if I was feeling a little sick. But now, I can come here, get a prescription and go right back to work; whereas before, I probably would've put it off and eventually end up missing a day of work."
Perry West, a Roanoke deputy sheriff who served in the military, said he appreciates the clinic's personalized services.
"The medical department here is better than the Air Force's," he said as Brown drew a sample of his blood. "There, you're just a number. Here, they actually know who you are when you come in and really care about you."
The clinic will be increasing its doctors' hours beginning July 1. Dr. Karen Miller will be available for two hours every day, while Dr. Darrell Powledge will be available three days a week.
Brown also hopes to provide a monthlong on-site screening and informational program about breast and prostate cancer for employees next year.
"This is not my facility; it belongs to the employees," Brown said. "It's my service to the community to just manage it and keep it going."
LENGTH: Medium: 81 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: ARNE KUHLMANN/Staff. Marquita Brown, an occupationalby CNBhealth nurse, administers a booster shot to Roanoke Deputy Sheriff
Perry West, who, as an Air Force veteran, says the city's medical
services are more personalized than the military's. color. 2. Dr.
Karen Miller of Roanoke's Occupational Health Services clinic
examines patient Lora Eakin, a social services employee who
complained of allergy problems.