UCM Helping Employees Access Health Care Services Through On-Site Visits

UCM Office of Human Resources employees stand in front of MU Health Care’s mobile
mammography unit during its visit to the Warrensburg campus.

 

The University of Central Missouri (UCM) helps its employees prioritize their health and wellness through a variety of benefits and initiatives. This month, the Office of Human Resources brought the doctor’s office to campus thanks to partnerships with two area health care providers.

On April 21, Human Resources hosted Wellness Made Easy Day, offering UCM employees the opportunity to book a screening with Jet Dental in the Student Recreation and Wellness Center or an advanced 3D screening with University of Missouri Health Care’s mobile mammography unit.

UCM has partnered with Jet Dental since 2023 and has increased on-site visits from once a year to once a semester due to employee interest. However, the recent event marked the first visit from a mobile mammography unit.

Cory Wicker, senior associate vice president for Finance and Operations, said bringing partners like Jet Dental and MU Health to campus is one way the university can help remove a barrier to health care, especially for employees who live in rural areas. 

 

“These programs align with our current strategic goals, and we’ll continue to do events like this to help our employees,” Wicker said. “Our human capital is our most valuable asset, so anything we can do to strengthen and help them ties into the university’s mission. A well employee can then serve our students. 

 

“On the operational side, when we offer preventive wellness, we see better renewal rates,” Wicker added. “We can enter negotiations with the insurance company and demonstrate that we are focusing on employee wellness.”

Offering these essential services on-site not only eliminates the hassle of commuting to a doctor or dental appointment but also emphasizes the importance of early detection for conditions such as breast cancer.

CJ Wilson, employee benefits specialist, said the HR team hopes to bring the mammography mobile unit back to campus this fall and plans to continue the twice-yearly visits from Jet Dental. The mobile unit visit may extend to two days if enough employees schedule appointments in advance.