Scott Brown, CEOIt all started in 1996 when the CEO, Scott Brown, was working as an administrator for a Texas hospital district. During his stint, the head of one of the largest local employers, a beef packing company, made the startling announcement that injured employees would be going to a caregiver 75 miles further away because they considered it to be better and less expensive.
Thinking on his feet, Brown proposed to provide a nurse at the beef packing company who would work in conjunction with the ER physician remotely. He was intent on retaining his largest employer and continuing their longstanding relationship. In return, he asked the company to pay a portion of what they would save. This idea resulted in millions of dollars of savings for the client, retention of employees based on quality care and satisfaction, and a large check to the hospital.
It was a win-win for the hospital district and Brown, who later moved to Utah and started working as the CEO of Cache Valley Specialty Hospital. While he was accomplishing greater feats, every day came with a singular realization—to change the way companies view and provide healthcare to employees—a dream that he initiated in 2012.
As a starting point, Sterling Medical provided comprehensive healthcare solutions for their communities and employers. Brown engaged with local business owners and expanded across multiple states. Since it’s founding, Sterling Medical has expanded to 14 urgent care locations in three states.
Sterling Medical has been successful in providing better access to healthcare and offering more benefits to employees. Sterling’s concierge approach to healthcare provides a high-quality, convenient option for employers at a fraction of the cost. Through the membership model, employees are more likely to get the healthcare they need, resulting in a healthier and happier workforce.
“Our goal is to help employers lower overall annual costs, improve the workforce’s productivity, and reduce claims sent to insurance companies,” says Brown. “We are mitigating the healthcare system complication with a solution that is targeted directly at employers.”
Reinventing the Healthcare System
More than any other industry, healthcare today is characterized by increasing costs and changing regulations. Some of the biggest U.S. employers have tried and failed to rein in the prices they pay for their employees’ health insurance benefits. They also lack the expertise needed to negotiate better contracts with their providers, or are forced to ask their employees to change the way they access care. As a result, employers shift more of the cost burden onto employees. There is a need for employers to change their approach toward enabling better healthcare delivery for their employees.
The most widely recognized brand in the Sterling family, Sterling Urgent Care, alleviates the stress of high insurance rates and employer taxes that have been mandated by the Affordable Care Act. Sterling Urgent Care provides a membership plan that allows employees to receive up to 96 percent of their medical treatment at an affordable monthly cost.
“Our membership is not an insurance program, but can be used as a supplement to a high deductible plan. We’re just trying to fill a gap,” says Brown. “As a one-stop shop for employers facing rising insurance premiums, our aim is to offer a plan that uses the combined buying power of thousands of patients to lower costs for everyone.”
As a one-stop shop for employers facing rising insurance premiums, our aim is to offer a plan that uses the combined buying power of thousands of patients to lower costs for everyone
Employees have access to primary and urgent care treatment, including fractures, IVs, injections, wellness visits, and occupational health programs. Additional services are also provided at minimal costs, including moderate complexity lab tests, X-rays, and dispensed medications. Sterling Urgent Care also offers convenient, extended hours that fit employees’ busy schedules.
Sterling Medical has created Sterling Occupational Health with a clear understanding of the challenges that employers and employees face in accessing and administering health care. It offers comprehensive occupational health services that enable employers to lower healthcare costs through timely patient turnaround and efficient case management.
Brown explains, “We have direct contracts with hospitals, which allows us to significantly lower costs for employees. For example, we get about an 89 percent discount at a local hospital. That’s direct dollar savings for employers, which they would otherwise have to pay out of their pockets.”
Created by Business Owners, Not Insurance Companies
Sterling Urgent Care positions employers as the new competitor in healthcare, not hospitals or insurance companies. It provides patients and employees quick, reliable access to quality care with full documentation and follow-up.
Sterling Urgent Care handles a majority of visit types that have been documented throughout the country. It has been able to save more than $120 million for its employers through direct dollar-for-dollar healthcare costs, along with case management, worker’s comp & health insurance premiums.
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Our goal is to help employers lower overall annual costs, improve the workforce’s productivity, and reduce claims sent to insurance companies
Recently, Sterling Urgent Care opened its eighth location in Idaho. This new location brings quality, affordable urgent care to the northern part of the state. Employers and families can enroll in a Sterling Membership, and employers can learn about managed occupational health services and programs for workers. In addition to our membership program, Sterling Urgent Care accepts most major insurance plans, including Medicare and Medicaid.
“Now, those who travel across Idaho for work will have another Sterling location they can turn to for screenings, physicals, and health needs,” says Brown.
