BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina

New Sonoco Health Center Integrates With Health Plan To Improve Costs, Quality

October 03, 2011

Columbia, S.C. – BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina congratulates Sonoco on the opening today of a worksite health center that integrates with its health plan so data may be collected to better manage health care costs and improve employee health.
 
One of the few worksite health centers in the state, the Sonoco Health Connection, was opened in a ceremony conducted today in Hartsville, S.C., by Sonoco Chairman and CEO Harris DeLoach. It is unique in the state in that claims will be sent to BlueCross, which administers the company’s health plan. BlueCross will aggregate claims data to provide a snapshot of Sonoco’s experience.
 
Sonoco can use the aggregate information to better forecast costs, to confirm which health management programs benefit its employees, to evaluate the impact of any changes in the plan and to identify unmet needs of its employees. Individual claims and test results are not shared with the employer.
 
“Sonoco continues to be one of the most progressive employers when it comes to their health benefit offerings,” said Matt Shaffer, vice president of BlueCross’ large group accounts unit. “Many large corporations have employed on-site health centers, but most are not getting the value of the investment because they are not integrated with the health benefit plan.
 
“In this case, Sonoco is not only providing a great service to its employees but is enabling them to get more access to health coaching and other information to improve their health and quality of life. Through true integration, BlueCross will be able to give Sonoco information that will help manage its costs and better target the needs of its employees. The sophistication of this solution goes well beyond just the processing of claims.”
 
CHS Health Services Inc., headquartered in Reston, Va., set up and will operate the health center. CHS will staff it with a physician, a nurse practitioner, a medical assistant and health coach. Located at Sonoco’s Hartsville, S.C., campus, the health center each will provide primary care and preventive care and is open each weekday to all active employees. The company has 1,600 employees in Hartsville and 17,000 worldwide.
 
About Sonoco
Founded in 1899, Sonoco is a $4.1 billion global manufacturer of industrial and consumer products and provider of packaging services, with more than 300 operations in 34 countries, serving customers in some 85 nations. The company is a proud member of the 2011/2012 Dow Jones Sustainability World Index. For information, visit www.sonoco.com.
 
About CHS Health Services, Inc.

Founded in 1975, CHS (www.CHSonsite.com) is the industry's largest and independent provider of on-site health centers, nationwide exam programs and rapid response medical readiness teams.
 
About BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina
Headquartered in Columbia, S.C., and operating in South Carolina for nearly 65 years, BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina  is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. The only South Carolina-owned and operated health insurance carrier, BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina comprises more than 45 companies involved in health insurance services, U.S. DoD health program and Medicare contracts, other insurance and employee benefits services, and a philanthropic foundation that funds programs to improve health care and access to health care for South Carolinians.