Last updated on June 13th, 2024
As part of efforts to boost the overall health and wellness of its workforce, Springdale, Arkansas-based Tyson Foods is partnering with Marathon Health to pilot seven “Bright Blue” health centers near company production facilities. The health centers will give Tyson team members and their families easier access to high-quality healthcare and, in most cases, at no cost.
The health centers, which are operated by Marathon Health, provide primary and preventive care, including health screenings, lifestyle coaching and health education, as well as behavioral health counseling. They also collaborate with plant community health providers, including primary care physicians and specialists, to ensure appropriate care is delivered.
The naming of the health centers, “Bright Blue,” is intended to convey the outlook of a bright future thanks to easily accessible healthcare and the company’s familiar heritage color, blue.
The first health center opened April 28 in Dyersburg, Tennessee, near the company’s facility in Newbern, Tennessee. Lisa Davis, a 26-year Tyson employee, was the first team member to visit the clinic and her daughter was the first patient treated by Marathon Health staff.
“We have 3-year-old twins and are often at the doctor for regular check-ups and runny noses,” said Davis. “My daughter Rylee has Down syndrome and is in speech therapy, so communication can sometimes be difficult. The staff was patient and we had an amazing experience. We’ll definitely be back.”
“We’re piloting these health centers to promote a culture of health and wellness in our company that results in a healthier workforce,” said Dr. Claudia Coplein, chief medical officer for Tyson Foods. “Some of our frontline team members aren’t using their health plan benefits, and others don’t seek care until there’s a crisis. We want to change that by providing access to care that can help detect health conditions early and promote healthy habits.”
The clinics will also collaborate with plant community health providers, including primary care physicians and specialists, to ensure appropriate care is delivered.
The pilot health center project represents the expansion of the company’s We Care workplace safety program to include overall team member health and wellness. It is an addition to the company’s existing health services staff, which includes on-site occupational health nurses at most plant locations.
“Partnering with Tyson to improve the health and well-being of their employees and families is an honor for Marathon Health,” said Jeff Wells, CEO. “We offer care that often looks beyond the symptoms and helps people take new actions around their own health. We are excited to see the profound changes in the lives of the people we will serve at the Tyson health centers. “
Opening dates for the other health centers include:
- Green Forest, Arkansas – May 12;
- Lexington, Nebraska – May 12;
- Wilkesboro, North Carolina – May 19;
- Center, Texas – May 19;
- Storm Lake, Iowa – May 26; and
- Garden City, Kansas – Summer 2021.
The seven pilot locations will serve nearly 38,000 Tyson team members and their families. Spouses, dependents age 2 and older who are covered by the Tyson insurance plan, will be eligible. The clinics will be designed to serve a diverse workforce, providing communications in multiple languages.
The health center services are in addition to the benefits already offered to team members such as affordable health, life, dental, vision and prescription drug benefits. Tyson Foods requires all regular, full-time team members who have completed 59 days of employment to have health care coverage through either the company-sponsored health plan or through a family member’s plan. This means that 100 percent of the company’s eligible team members have access to health care coverage.
The health clinics are the latest in a series of measures the company has taken to invest in the health and wellness of its employees. Since spring 2020, the company has invested hundreds of millions of dollars to transform its U.S. facilities with protective measures, from walk-through temperature scanners and workstation dividers to social distance monitors and always-on testing, as well as provide additional team member pay and benefits. Tyson Foods has also expanded its health services staff and added a chief medical officer.
In addition, more than 40,000 Tyson Foods employees have been vaccinated so far at more than 100 events held onsite at Tyson facilities or in nearby community facilities. In preparation for vaccinations, Tyson Foods has been providing expert resources and education about the COVID-19 vaccine to team members. This information is available in multiple languages and team members also have access to a hotline to ask questions. In addition to offering free, on-site vaccinations, the company is also compensating workers for up to four hours of regular pay if they are vaccinated outside of their normal shift or through an external source.
