Diagnostics, Therapy, Dental: The 3 Most Used Services by Employees

The concept of diagnostics, therapy, and dental care reflects a shift from reactive, emergency care systems to a broader cultural emphasis on the prevention of issues, emotional well-being, and compensatory care for everyday health. This is not just about introducing new perks; it is about recreating the workplace experience to support whole-person wellness, considering changing employee expectations and the lessons learned from the pandemic.

In this blog, we will assess why diagnostics, therapy, and dental care seem to take the majority of an employee's health service usage, their contribution to productivity in the workforce, and how businesses like welUp are changing the employee health care offerings.

Why Employee Health Benefits Are Changing

Traditional insurance in India has been majorly hospitalization-focused, and its only guarantee was that insurance would cover major surgeries and inpatient care. However, data shows that less than 10% of employees use hospitalization insurance. This is because most health care issues happen outside of the hospital: minor illnesses, chronic illnesses, mental health, dental, and diagnostics.

Studies show more than 70% of medical expenses are outpatient-related, and because many employees prefer quick and preventive care, rather than waiting until an emergency arises, companies have begun to provide Outpatient Department (OPD) benefits for diagnostics, therapy, dental, and other services. 

welUp, India's premier corporate healthcare platform, realized those gaps and created full employee wellbeing plans dedicated to everyday health, ranging from dental cleanings to mental health therapy sessions, across 7,000+ centres in 100+ cities in India. The platform offers a ₹5 lakh credit limit with 0% EMI, giving employees access to affordable healthcare options without the burden of financial stress. 

Diagnostics: The Backbone of Tracking Preventive Health

Diagnostics are the backbone of preventing illness and catching diseases early. For the many employees managing work and health, early access to tests such as bloodwork, x-rays, MRIs, or health screenings, and assistance in catching something that may not have escalated if found early.

Why Diagnostics are a hit with Employees

• Saving Lives through Early Detection: Many chronic disease cases, such as diabetes, hypertension, and cancers, can be at least managed better or stay in remission if caught early. As such, diagnostics keep employees and provide the tools to better manage ongoing health issues regularly. 
• Convenience, ease, and accessibility: With a diagnostic centre on every corner of every city, employees can find a diagnostic clinic and do the tests they need without stopping their work schedule.
• Preventive Measures and After Hours: Regular checks and routine diagnostic visits keep employees away from absences by keeping illness flare-ups at bay.

A survey by Business Standard showed that around 80% of companies offering OPD benefits include diagnostic services. Employees often utilize these benefits to conduct annual health screenings or tests recommended by their doctors.

Impact on Employers and Employees

Early diagnosis through accessible diagnostics reduces hospitalization risk and long-term treatment costs, benefiting both employees and companies. Healthy employees have better focus, higher energy, and fewer sick days, directly boosting productivity.

welUp’s diagnostic network, with 7,000+ centers, offers easy access and cashless payments, making it simpler for employees to take charge of their health.

Therapy: The Growing Priority of Mental Health

Mental health was previously considered taboo in workplaces; however, it is getting its due importance now. The pandemic eventually brought attention to mental health and forced many companies to add benefits regarding mental health, which include therapy, mental health counseling and assistance, and stress management programs.

Why Therapy Services Are One of the Most Commonly Used

• Heightened degree of stress levels:  Because of work restrictions affecting personal situations and a collapsing divide between home and office, anxiety and depression cases have become more prevalent than before.
• Promoting awareness: Employees are far more open to receiving therapy than previously, which is due in great part to abolishing stigmas around mental health, and due to having better access via corporate health programs.
• Convenient accommodations: Mental health treatment has also been made more accessible and private with the advent of teletherapy, telehealth, or app-based psychotherapy.

According to a report from the WHO, 'depression and anxiety disorders cost the global economy one trillion dollars a year in lost productivity. The workforce where we live and earn wages is no different, as many employees cite mental health and wellness as a top issue.

How Therapy Benefits Workplace Settings

• Improved productivity: Employees who have undergone therapy can focus better, be more creative, and be more resilient. 
• Reduction of absenteeism and presenteeism: Mental health issues like anxiety and depression can result in both absenteeism and presenteeism. This means a person could be physically present, but not mentally. In this situation, therapy can help calm the person's thoughts and emotions.

• Fostering Better Workplace Culture: By providing therapy services, employers demonstrate they care about their employees and enhance morale.

welUp integrates mental health support to employee wellness services, providing access to therapists and counselors who are licensed in India. Using a wider and inclusive definition of mental health, Almik can treat common stresses to employees and more unique ones, such as those managing fertility or addiction issues.

Dental Health: The Unsung Hero of Employee Health

When discussing employee wellness and well-being, dental health is often overlooked. However, oral hygiene issues contribute to systemic illnesses like heart disease, complications with diabetes, and respiratory infections.

The Reasons Behind Heavy Use of Dental Services

• Routine Necessity: As dental cleanings, cavity fillings, and orthodontics require regular appointments, dental benefits are a frequently used service. 
• Widespread Dental Diseases: Over 70% of adults in India have a dental disease, according to the National Oral Health Survey (India). 
• Prevention: Companies provide dental benefits on a preventative approach to enforce proper oral habits, to not using dental services or being forced into expensive dental treatments. 

Still, many people visit the dentist when they have pain and when it is an emergency. Employers may and want to encourage the use of this 'benefit' to prevent costly mistakes by making dental check-ups cheaper for the employee.

Benefits for Employees and Employers.

• Improved overall health: to prevent other chronic health conditions. Preventive cost is insignificant when compared to the alternative. 
• Increased Confidence and well-being: Good oral hygiene assists self-esteem and how one interacts socially with others.
• Reduced Sick Days: Dental problems cause missed work; prevention helps maintain attendance.

welUp offers a wide range of dental services within its corporate plans, covering everything from basic cleaning to advanced procedures, all cashless and accessible nationwide.

How welUp is Revolutionizing Employee Health Benefits

welUp stands out by offering a comprehensive outpatient-focused health plan that covers diagnostics, therapy, dental care, and much more under one roof. Traditional health insurance plans often exclude these services or make them costly and difficult to access.

Key Features of welUp’s Employee Health Program

• Wide Network Coverage: Access to 7,000+ centers across 100+ cities in India ensures employees get convenient care nearby.
• ₹5 Lakh Credit Limit at 0% EMI: This makes high-cost outpatient treatments affordable and stress-free.
• Preventive and Holistic Care: In addition to emergencies, welUp promotes consistent health upkeep.
• Mental Health and Wellness: Ensuring you have support through counseling services, therapists, and dedicated programs.
• Dental and Eye Care: Periodic visits, additional care & treatments also support overall good health & well-being.
• Fitness and Lifestyle Benefits: Gym memberships, health and nutrition counseling, and tracking fitness time or activities.

By integrating diagnostics, therapy, and dental services into a single platform, welUp empowers employees to take control of their health proactively.

Real Employee Impact: Stories from the Workplace

Case 1: Early Diabetes Diagnosis Through Diagnostics

Ravi, a 35-year-old software engineer, was asymptomatic but used his company’s welUp health benefits to get an annual health screening. On the initial visits of the enhancing forces program, diagnostics identified a pre-existing diabetes condition, allowing him to start on the proper medications, adjust his medications and lifestyle choices with limited preventive measures. This early intervention eliminated the risk of costly complications and produced great improvements in multiple aspects of his quality of life.

Case 2: Mental Health Therapy Preventing Burnout

Anita, a marketing manager, faced increasing anxiety due to work pressure. With welUp’s teletherapy services, she accessed counseling confidentially. Regular sessions helped her manage stress, improve sleep, and regain focus, reducing absenteeism and enhancing her performance.

Case 3: Dental Care Improving Confidence

Rajesh, a customer service executive, avoided dental visits due to cost. Using his welUp Program benefit for the dental plan, he got a cleaning and mitigating work for a new cavity. His oral health showed improvements, he felt much better interacting with clients, and increased client outcomes improved his business response time from unhappy clients.

The Future of Employee Health is Integrated & Accessible Care

The corporate world is changing from reactive hospitalization health benefits to proactive outpatient managed wellness. 

Diagnostics, Therapy, and Dental will continue to offer the highest-quality services, allowing employees to address and receive care for the majority of everyday health concerns. When companies realize that their investments can go directly to welUp, which is helping develop and benefit a growing proactive curiosity budget to organizations, they will find incredible payback in terms of productivity, employee satisfaction, and potentially high-quality long-term cost savings in employee health benefit plan overages. 

Technology will continue to drive this workflow with telehealth consultations, easing access to diagnosis and treatment, put side by side and aligned with AI items - this should quickly produce personalized health plans and lifestyles you can manage as an integrated foundational element of your ongoing care.