In the U.S., the average wait time to see a new primary care physician is over 3 weeks in many cities — even longer in rural or underserved areas. For behavioral health, the wait can stretch to 47 days or more [National Council for Mental Wellbeing].
When someone can’t get care soon enough, here’s what can happen:
- Conditions worsen, leading to more expensive interventions later
- Work absences increase, especially if issues go untreated
- Emergency rooms fill up with non-emergency visits
- Employees disengage from benefits they don’t trust to deliver when needed
In industries like construction or manufacturing — where injury risk is higher and access can be harder — delays carry even more weight.
Case in Point: A Construction Employer
One mid-sized construction company faced exactly these issues: Employees were avoiding care, not because they didn’t need it, but because it wasn’t accessible.
After implementing First Stop Health’s virtual care solutions, their story changed dramatically.
- 78% average combined utilization
- Less than 8-minute average wait time to speak to an urgent care doctor
- 83% of visits were resolved virtually — without sending employees to the ER or clinic.
- Over $319K in healthcare savings and 112% ROI
With a harder engagement population, we used demographic and behavior-triggered communication campaigns coupled with care follow-ups to drive high utilization via modalities beyond email such as text and push notifications. The benefits team was armed with assets, tips, and service education as well. The client’s savings from Urgent Care, enabled them to add Primary Care and Mental Health, multiplying accessibility and impact on their workforce.
This wasn’t just faster care — it was smarter, more efficient, and trusted by employees who previously went without.
How Virtual Care Breaks Down Access Barriers
Virtual care is a critical tool to bridge the gap between employees and the care they need.
- Geography-proof: Employees in rural areas or job sites far from clinics can still get quality care from home or on the go
- Speedy access: FSH urgent care visits connect patients with doctors in less than 5 minutes
- Flexible scheduling: Mental health and primary care visits are often available next day
- No cost to employees: With $0 visit fees, there’s no hesitation to get help
Why This Matters for Employers
Faster access to care benefits your workforce and your bottom line. Employers offering immediate, integrated virtual care see:
- Lower claims costs from expensive healthcare modality diversion
- Reduced absenteeism and presenteeism
- Higher engagement with benefits
- Better health outcomes over time
Your employees deserve sooner visits.
Let’s talk about how First Stop Health helps you meet them where they are — and when they need it most.
Employee Voices: “I really appreciate my providers patience and kindness. She really listens and has great input on everything we speak about.”
-2.png?width=1080&height=720&name=Flyer%20-%20VUC%20(4)-2.png)
Did You Know...
In-person urgent‑care visits average about 70.9 minutes — but virtual urgent care slashes that to just 9.4 minutes. That's over an hour back to work or life.
Get the Run Down
