GE Appliances' onsite primary care clinic, managed by independent healthcare provider CareATC, will welcome family members of employees starting October 1. Dependents two years of age and older and enrolled on the employee’s health insurance plan. The innovative advanced primary care clinic will add staff to meet increased demand and extend access –at no or low cost – to all the high value and confidential services offered at the clinic, including X-rays, integrated mental health services, a nutritionist, physical therapy, and a limited pharmacy to name a few of the services.

“Employees have told us they want high-quality healthcare options that are affordable, and nothing says affordable better than free appointments, free vaccinations, free lab work, free X-rays and more,” says Dr. Derek Mydlarz, chief medical officer and global executive medical director at GE Appliances. “The advanced primary care clinic is a key part of our approach to value based care – an ecosystem to achieve the best possible patient outcomes, at the best value to employees and the business through more coordinated and accountable care.”

IUE-CWA Local 83761, the union representing Appliance Park production and maintenance employees, supports the expanded services. "This is a great opportunity for our members to have access to free or nearly free family healthcare,” said Dino Driskell, president of IUE-CWA Local 83761.

As utilization at the onsite primary care clinic has increased, GE Appliances is also announcing an additional CareATC nurse practitioner, mental health professionals and other staff to complement the existing team.

"Access to affordable primary care has become harder for hardworking Americans," said Dr. Greg Bernacki, CareATC Chief Medical Officer. "GE Appliances’ vision of providing low or no-cost care to employees and their families, combined with CareATC's mission to give people the power to be well, has provided remarkable success. CareATC patients receive evidence-based care in a relaxed setting, with ample time to address chronic conditions like diabetes and hypertension, reduce complications, and prevent disease."

Free “on the clock care”

In 2023, GE Appliances debuted a new program for employees to go to an annual physical and a follow up appointment on the clock during work hours and still be paid. Beginning on October 1, this popular service will be expanded to include appointments for mental health services and the management of chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol and asthma.

“Life is busy, so being able to go to the doctor while at work is a big investment and practically unheard of for production employees,” said Dr. Mydlarz. “Our philosophy is to put employees at the center of all we do and that means receiving the care they need when they need it.”

Louisville is the company’s second and largest onsite clinic. The expanded clinic in Louisville will be GE Appliances' second clinic to offer free onsite healthcare services to employees and their dependents. The first began in 2011 at its cooking products plant in LaFayette, Georgia. The successful Roper Corporation Wellness Center, also managed by CareATC, handled 7,000 visits in 2023.

CareATC maintains the same high standards of privacy and confidentiality as any community doctor’s office. Services include everything a community primary care doctor’s office would offer plus more advanced offerings, including:

• Acute Care—such as treatments for the cold/flu, earaches, etc.

• Preventive Care—including important routine physicals, vaccinations, etc.

• Care for chronic medical conditions— such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, etc.

• Full lab work & X-rays

• Mental wellbeing—onsite and virtual options for counseling at no cost

Stats about the Louisville CareATC Clinic

• 43% of Appliance Park employees have used the primary care clinic at least once.

• With the CareATC clinic in place, there has been an increase in employee usage of benefits, annual exams and screenings (annual exams increased by 124%, colonoscopies increased by 43%, and mammograms increased by 38%).