Physical Therapy Products recently spoke with Margot Miller, VP, provider solutions, for WorkWell Systems, Aliso Viejo, Calif, about industry trends.

Describe WorkWell's philosophy on its products and customers.

The marketplace has no shortage of solutions for the customers we serve. How does WorkWell approach this? WorkWell's philosophy is to develop value-added products/services for our customers. We listen to our customers to first understand their needs/their goals; then, we dialogue as a company on how best to meet these needs. WorkWell's "innovation lab" develops value-added solutions that are then presented to the customer. As an example, our providers asked for assistance in identifying return on investment for their customers. WorkWell's analytics team developed a tool and process to assist providers in doing just this. We are committed to a partner-specific approach backed by solutions and supported by expertise.

What are some of the trends in your market niche that affect WorkWell's offerings?

One important trend we see is employers wanting one-stop-shop providers to increase efficiency in their hiring process. This means health care providers will need to provide more than functional prework screens (PWS). In order to meet employer needs, they will need to offer drug screening and commercial driver medical exams as well. One of the employers we work with uses WorkWell providers for oral-based drug screens along with the functional PWS. Adding this service has had a secondary benefit for our providers in that it gave them another revenue opportunity to use in their local market.

A second important trend is that the traditional model for delivering therapy is changing; employers want services delivered on-site, rather than in the clinic. Employers are requesting clinics be set up at the workplace. Therapists go to the workers to provide prevention and rehab services; workers no longer exclusively come to the clinic for treatment. This model saves time and money, and has been well-received by employers and therapists alike.

Describe WorkWell's process in creating customized programs.

Workwell's "innovation lab" is dedicated to problem-solving customer needs, identifying value-added solutions for our customers. We believe that our solutions need to be based on our customers' problems and goals. We hear the problems; then we commit to identifying solutions with a team of experts at WorkWell. Whether discussing WorkWell's FCE v2 that was developed with a team of researchers and experts, or developing solutions such as the analytics tool for our providers, we do this as a team. We get the right resources together, problem-solve, and identify a workable solution.

What does WorkWell foresee for this market niche in the next 3 to 5 years?

In the next 3 to 5 years, we believe that more employers will have an on-site service-delivery model. Greater emphasis will be placed on prevention, wellness, and working with an aging workforce. Having access to therapists through the on-site service-delivery model will give increased opportunity to reach more workers at less cost. This is a win for all parties: employers, workers, and therapists.