Author Archives: Elissa Bell

Death and Taxes, Deferred

“In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” — Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin said these words in 1789, and they are as true today as they were over 200 years ago. It’s now a common trope – a joke even – and a way to cope with the seemingly inevitable.

Each year, we dread tax-day, April 15, like we think we might – just might – avoid it just once. And this year at least, taxes have been deferred.

So, here’s the good news: April 15 will look and feel different than it has in past years. The IRS has said individual taxpayers can postpone their federal income tax payments until May 17, without facing penalties or interest, regardless of how much is owed. After that date, penalties and interest will begin to accrue on any unpaid balance.

Taxpayers in Texas, where PyxisCare is based, plus Oklahoma and Louisiana have even more time. Because of a federal disaster-area following the winter storms there, the IRS moved the deadline for these three states to June 15.

While there is no deferring Death, our entire team at PyxisCare is devoted to helping clients live well. An important part of our role as care navigators is to be able to step into life and death situations and use our expertise to reach the best possible outcomes. We go into emergency rooms, we stay at bedsides, and we counsel families through the most complex and heart-wrenching situations. It’s part of the job.

But our joy is helping clients reach their best potential, and optimal health for whatever stage of life they are living. Because while death may be deferred, life should not be.

Meet the Team: Nurse Client Advocate Sheila P.

“I have always had the desire to advocate and be a voice for those who believe that can’t articulate their concerns. At PyxisCare, I can assess and address the whole person’s needs and not just focus on a diagnosis. I can find out what a client’s limiting factors are by utilizing the social determinants of health– whether it be emotional, legal, educational, psychosocial or medical and assist with finding solutions.”

–Sheila P., MBA, MPA, BSN, RN PyxisCare Nurse Client Advocate

“Nursing is a natural passion for me. It allows me to care for others, which is sown into the depths of my being. One of my earliest memories is being asked in elementary school, ‘what do you want to be when you grow up?’ I boldly replied, ‘I want to be a nurse when I grow up!’ I felt a strong connection to the role of nurse at a young age because I had seen nurses show compassion and spend adequate time with patients dealing with healthcare issues.

“Although I took the extended route to become a licensed nurse, I knew it was one of my purposes in this life. Before becoming a licensed nurse, I received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology Degree, a Master of Business Administration Degree, and a Master of Public Administration Degree. I am currently enrolled in graduate school in the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Track.”

Sheila’s nursing experience in Long-Term Care, Hospice & Palliative Care, Substance Abuse & Rehab, Infection Control, Occupational Health, Psychiatric/Behavioral Health and Community Health Triage & Wellness Screenings has allowed her to cultivate the problem-solving skills and knowledge necessary to be an excellent advocate.

Sheila is determined to increase mental health awareness, to reduce the stigma attached to mental illness, and help improve underserved individuals’ health and social conditions. Like all our NCAs, she advocates for the whole person not just focusing on the individual’s diagnosis or illness. Her knowledge of behavioral and mental health matched with her servant’s heart and problem-solving skills make her an incredible advocate for her clients and a needed addition to the PyxisCare team.

A Simple Plan: The Ten Pillars

A Simple Plan: The Ten Pillars

Every day I talk with business owners, corporate executives, human resources professionals, and people managers; it’s the best part of my day. Primarily I’m advising them as clients on how to improve workforce health, or we’re in direct engagement supporting employees and family members. Sometimes they’re just asking for shortcuts to help their teams.

Help in a Crisis

Once a family or an individual is in crisis with a health issue or emergency, PyxisCare IS that shortcut to better decisions, expert guidance and always on-time support. In those moments we become YOUR team, and we won’t stop working for the best possible outcomes.

Kickstart Change

At a company level, when you’re trying to change culture, improve systems and lifestyles, there aren’t any shortcuts. Like any diet, you can kickstart change, but it’s a temporary fix. And for companies, you want to hardwire good behaviors. It’s about accountability to the lifestyle you choose.

For our corporate clients, our Nurse Client Advocates (NCA), working with our Director of Personal Health Nursing, provide guidance well beyond care coordination for benefits and medical challenges. Supporting employees through confusing and often frightening medical issues is our mission. Helping teams and individuals live a healthier lifestyle is our JOY.

Hardwiring Success

Our simple plan is called The Ten Pillars and it’s based on routine, the simple routines of healthy functioning. Breath, hydration, movement, therapies, mental health practice and more, plus goal setting, personal safety and healthy relationships. Our team creates custom plans for all who participate, as well as daily accountability practices.

Those familiar with PyxisCare will know that we base our individual work on creating thorough custom care plans based on the clients’ specific needs. In fact, after an assessment, some people choose to work their care plans independently and have routine check-ins with their PyxisCare NCA. For corporate clients, the Ten Pillars becomes part of their daily routine, in addition to other strategies to improve health.

There is no magic in these Ten Pillars or any one of the hundreds of lifestyle programs or self-help books. Instead, a guide is needed, a partner – a simple plan – and that’s where we make a real and everyday difference for clients.

If you would like to know more about our programs to protect your workforce, serve your team, and build personal and business longevity, call me. And spending time with you will be the best part of my day.

–Mindy

Meet Duyen N., Director of Personal Health Nursing

“I enjoy teaching people how to optimize their health and best utilize the healthcare system. I want to help them achieve their health goals and manage their chronic conditions so they don’t end up in the hospital.”

— Duyen Nguyen, Director of Personal Health Nursing

Duyen N. moved more than 8,000 miles, worked 11 part-time jobs to pay her way through nursing school, and spent five years in one of the nation’s busiest hospitals to prepare for her best role yet.

Duyen is PyxisCare Management’s first Personal Health Nurse. The new position is embedded in an employer’s organization and allows Nguyen to proactively engage with a client’s employees, build relationships and collaborate to improve overall health.

“It’s more than coincidence,” Duyen says. “I feel like this role is really meant for me.”

Duyen grew up in Vietnam and was inspired to study nursing at age 16 when her older brother was partially paralyzed in an accident. She admired the way nurses supported his recovery and saw the profession as a way to build a better life.

During nursing school, Duyen met an exchange student who encouraged her to apply for a U.S. student visa. That move led her to enroll in the nursing program at Dallas County’s El Centro College, to take English classes, and then to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from The University of Texas at Arlington.

Since then, Duyen has worked in Parkland Hospital’s psychiatry-medicine and emergency departments and in the Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas emergency room. She founded the Dallas-Fort Worth chapter of the Vietnamese American Nurses Association to unite providers and promote community health through outreach, research, education and disease prevention.

Her PyxisCare role draws upon her extensive professional experience while casting her as the team’s health coach rather than a one-time care provider for the employees.

“I enjoy teaching people how to optimize their health and best utilize the healthcare system,” Duyen says. “I want to help them achieve their health goals and manage their chronic conditions so they don’t end up in the hospital.”

Duyen works from an onsite office, scheduling general information sessions and one-on-one meetings to create a personal relationship with employees and understand their health histories, discuss goals and learn whether they have primary care providers. She wants them to “own” their personal medical information and to understand why legal documents like powers of attorney and living wills are needed.

“It’s a smart business decision, too,” she says.

Employees who see a regular primary care provider, eat healthy foods and maintain an active lifestyle generally are happier and more productive at work, Duyen says. Those who are willing to minimize consumption of high-salt, high-sugar foods often can reduce negative effects of chronic conditions like hypertension and diabetes. They generally miss less work and have lower insurance costs, she says.

“The employees have been very interested. I told them I want them to live their optimum life and that I will be here for them.”

The Silver Tsunami: Environmental Impact on Aging

America is aging; in fact, one in four Americans today is over the age of 55. The U.S. Census says that within the next decade, the number of people over the age of 65 will be more than the number of those under the age of 18. And, the oldest of the baby boomers (boomers are the second most populous generation after their own children, the Millennials) are now over 70.

This significant demographic shift has been called the Silver Tsunami – not my favorite term- but commonly used to describe the impact of a large aging population. You might imagine this affects an individual’s personal decisions and on a much larger scale….public policy, the economy, housing trends, and more.

We are aging, and we plan to age well.

The boomer generation grew up with high expectations for their quality of life; this especially applies to how they age. And those expectations continue to grow each generation – as innovations in science and medicine find ways to prolong both quality and length of life.

A key tenet of this expectation for many seniors is the hope to “Age in Place,” or the ability to remain in your own home and community safely, independently and comfortably as you age, and for as long as possible. Aging in place tends to improve senior’s quality of life because they have comfort in their surroundings and can continue familiar patterns, habits and interactions over which they have control.

Aging in place is a smart and achievable option for many, but necessary accommodations should be carefully considered and re-evaluated on a regular basis with a professional. Our experts at PyxisCare consider ENVIRONMENT to be just as important as other aspects that affect a person’s long-term health and wellbeing. If you have a parent living at your home – or theirs – when was the last time you evaluated your home for fall risks? Have you had an occupational therapist or a nurse mark the thermostat, stove, or remote control for a senior with failing eyesight? A PyxisCare assessment will ensure your loved one is as safe as possible.

All Together Now

Communal living is a wonderful option as you “age out” of aging in place – your loved one may prefer being more social or may need support with physical therapy, regular meals and nutritional planning. We all know by now that social interaction and being in community with others can prolong quality of life.

Over our decades of combined experience, we have evaluated hundreds of communal living, memory care and transitional facilities, independent living communities, nursing homes, multigenerational family homes and other environmental spaces to find the best fit for our clients. The great news is that there are many, many options, and resources to help you discern the best path.

The bottom line is, there is no one answer to which environment will best suit your needs; it’s a choice that is as personal as the loved one for whom you are caretaking. Contact us if you are ready for expert guidance.

Destressing in 2021: The Free Resources You Need This Year

Destressing in 2021: The Free Resources You Need This Year

2020 was a year of change and uncertainty – and honestly, most of us spent the year stressed out. Despite all this, we have begun 2021 hopefully stronger, and ready to get the most out of the next 12 months.

The stress didn’t go away though, did it?

With that in mind, we have curated a list of completely free resources that could make a huge difference in your emotional and mental well-being this year. Scroll through the unique ways one could choose to destress – from workouts, to coloring, to reading. Some days I get frustrated with technology, but apps and remote personal services have come a long way. At $0.00, try them all, and Happy New Year!

Smiling Mind

One of the most common ways to destress is to take a few minutes out of your day to focus through meditation. While there are lots of resources for meditation, we chose Smiling Mind, a non-profit specializing in providing long-lasting tools to support healthy minds. It features hundreds of meditations organized into structured programs like Mindful Foundations (42 sessions), Sleep (6 sessions), Relationships (13 sessions), and Workplace (41 sessions), but you have the flexibility to choose where to start and to easily jump between programs. Most meditations are in the five- to fifteen-minute range, with a few practices up to 45 minutes for advanced meditation. No matter where you are in your life or your meditation journey, you’ll be able to find the right program to meet your needs.

Fitness Blender

While some people destress through calm meditation, many people prefer a more active way to fight off stress. A workout is a popular choice, but it can be hard to find cost effective resources for guided workouts. According to the Fitness Blender website, “We believe fitness should be accessible to everyone, everywhere, regardless of income level or access to a gym. That’s why we offer hundreds of free, full-length workout videos, the most affordable and effective workout programs on the web, meal plans, and helpful health, nutrition and fitness information.” While some of the content on the website requires an FB Plus Account which costs $8.99 per month, there are still hundreds of free workout videos with varying levels of intensity and equipment. If grinding out your stress through working out is your preference, this is the resource for you.

Yoga with Adriene

Yoga is a great option for those who want to put some physical activity into their daily routine, but also want the calm, centering of meditation. There are many health benefits for yoga beyond relaxation, including improved strength, balance, flexibility, and mindfulness. Yoga with Adriene is a free Youtube Channel offering high quality videos for all levels, all bodies, all genders, and all souls. Adriene urges her viewers and subscribers to “Make time for you. Go deeper, have fun. Connect. Fall off the horse and then get back on. Reconnect. Do your best, be authentic and FIND WHAT FEELS GOOD” So if yoga is your go-to way to fight stress, this Youtube channel could be the free resource you are looking for.

San Diego Zoo and Monterey Bay Aquarium Live Cams

With many public places closed to the public, live cams are giving us a window into some amazing living art. The relaxing benefits of watching animals is undisputed and with the San Diego Zoo Animal Cams, you can watch a variety of animals live in their habitats including elephants, pandas, and penguins. For parents looking to entertain your kids, this is free, wholesome and educational. https://kids.sandiegozoo.org/videos

The Monterey Bay Aquarium also offers live cams of their Coral Reef, Sharks, and Sea Otters among others. You can also tune in for narrated feeding times. If watching animals and fish live in their habitats brings you joy or you have kids who love animals and need a break from home schooling, these are my go-to free resources.

Atmosphere

The undisputed champion of relaxation is sleep. The best way to heal your body of stress and recover from whatever is going on in your life, is to get a good night’s sleep. Or even the occasional nap. There are many resources to help you get better sleep, but a free favorite is Atmosphere, which customizes your sleeping environment though sound. Sounds include, but are not limited to waves, rain, animals, traffic, music, fans and even their special binaural and isochronic sounds which can reduce anxiety, relax breathing, and even aid in healing. You can pick and choose different sounds from different scenes to create the perfect customized sleep atmosphere for you at absolutely no cost. Happy napping!

Free Playlists

Many people turn to music to process and destress from the events of their lives. Music comes in all forms and you know best what music brings your calm and healing. However, no matter where you find your music, you can find a specially curated playlist designed to aid in destressing. Pandora has a Relaxation station. Spotify has many playlists geared toward relaxing. Youtube has a channel titled Soothing Relaxation. All of these free playlists are perfect for destressing.

Colorfy

The benefits of coloring within the lines for the mind are unquestionable. Colorfy is a great way to do that without investing in pencils or coloring books. The Colorfy app comes with free coloring pages for adults to complete. Feel like a kid again! You can color and recolor the blank coloring pages online or offline. Coloring books and mandalas are proven to help adults release stress. It’s a great way to relax your mind and have fun!

Open Culture

Reading is relaxing. While the library is always a viable option, many people prefer to listen to audiobooks or read ebooks. After a certain amount of time, the copyright expires on written works. When that happens, they enter the public domain and anyone can access them for free. Open Culture is a website that gives you links to download ebooks and audiobooks that have entered the public domain. Notable authors whose works you can now download for free include Jane Austen, Lewis Carroll, Edgar Allen Poe, and William Shakespeare. If your default way to destress is to throw yourself into Pemberley, Wonderland, Venice, or any other story world, this is the free resource for you.

Penzu

The undeniable catharsis of getting all of your thoughts and feelings onto a page can be a worthwhile option to relax. Penzu is a free online journal where you can type to your heart’s content. Unlike a traditional journal, no one can pick it up and read because it’s password protected. Penzu also has an app. If you would like to write or access an entry on the go, that is also an option. You can choose to purchase Penzu Pro which unlocks some new covers and fonts, but all of the basic features are free, AND free of the annoying “buy now” reminders.

Laughable

Someone wise once said: “Laughter is the best medicine”. Laughable is a free app containing podcasts for all personalities. Laughable has a unique subscription system. When you search a comedian, actor, journalist etc. that you like, you receive notifications for every podcast appearance they make whether as host or guest. From Elon Musk to Eddie Izzard, Joe Rogan to Jake Tapper, Mick Jagger to Mindy Kaling, to Sasha Baron Cohen, to Weird Al, and thousands more, they’ve got you covered – wherever your interests lie. You can also easily download whatever you would like to listen to for on-the-go-laughter.

As we move into a new year, we hope you find your way to better mental and physical health. May 2021 bring much less stress and much more joy and calm.

Healthcare Everywhere and Anywhere: The 2021 Trends That Will Make Us Better

Healthcare Everywhere and Anywhere: The 2021 Trends That Will Make Us Better

After a year like 2020, we all need to believe that 2021 will be better. That we will emerge from the pandemic stronger and smarter, and that we will have earned a few months of stability, health and wellness. I certainly have that hope for my family and friends. Beginning distribution of the vaccine means that we are well on the way to a brighter year for many.

In searching for these signs of hope in the new year, I’ve come across top trends that will help shape the year for us as healthcare consumers, business owners, caregivers and people who want to improve our everyday lives.

Healthcare Everywhere:

Because of COVID-19, personal safety, health and risk management are everywhere and have become a consideration in every aspect of daily life. Who would have imagined a society in which we wear face coverings to the grocery or take temperatures before entering a basketball arena? And yet, most of us have converted our lifestyles to accommodate managing the everyday dangers of a pandemic.

What this means for us in practical terms is that businesses are more closely watching their insurance premiums and enacting those long-discussed benefits like care coordination and work-from-home policies. Health and wellness even affects real estate considerations – do I need that much space for employees, or can I hire the right people to work remotely?

Healthcare everywhere includes environmental health – from having a safer and healthier home environment – to tackling how pollution and climate change will affect long-term policy-making.

The pandemic has made certain that “good health” is not an abstract idea, or one that affects us in our 70s, it’s right here – and everywhere. Given our recent experience, I expect good health to remain a top priority, even after we are well past COVID-19.

Healthcare Anywhere, Anytime:

During the pandemic, virtual care visits became the norm as at-risk patients decided that virtual would be the better option, if at all possible. Technology has long enabled remote monitoring of certain conditions, but the confines of the pandemic have pushed usage. Combined with the new-normal of virtual visits, staying on top of your health can happen anywhere.

Prioritizing health includes mental health – which has soared as a significant challenge during the isolation and fear that COVID-19 has caused. In fact, in 2021, it’s expected that one third of all virtual care appointments will be mental health related.

This anywhere/anytime option for healthcare is actually a good outcome from a terrible year. Circumstances have changed consumer behavior in a very short time compared to the many years usually need to convert behavioral norms. And 2020 saw a healthy return of the medical house call from family physicians, which will continue into 2021.

Technology:

It goes without saying that technology is what enables many of humanity’s advances, especially in healthcare. You’ll find technology on every list of trends, including this one, because it touches much of our medical world.

But what excites me are the human possibilities in 2021. So, my top trends are:

The potential for human connection. We have all been so starved for spending in-person time with our community, that once that is safe, I have deep hope that society will experience renewed warmth and expansive kindness to one another.
Equity in health disparities. 2021 will be year of great strides in medical and health equity as companies dig deep to better understand their employees and how to engage all in managing their own health.
A holistic approach. This trend is NOT new at PyxisCare, in fact, it’s the very core of why I founded PyxisCare over 12 years ago. However, I’ve enjoyed seeing this approach become a “trend” to follow, as others begin to understand the interconnectedness of one’s mental, physical, financial, legal and environmental wellness.

Happy New Year, and I look forward to connecting with you in 2021.

No Lawyer Jokes Allowed

Did you hear the one about the lawyer who saved the day and made sure their client was completely prepared for the most difficult moments of their lives?

I’m proud to say that I work with lawyers and legal teams on behalf of clients every day at PyxisCare. Because no one likes being ambushed. And yet, I find after decades in a career that is built upon being prepared, that’s exactly how many of us feel when it comes to the intersection of medical and legal matters.

Hundreds of clients over the years have asked why LEGAL is one of the five aspects by which we help support our clients and develop care plans: medical, environmental, psychosocial, financial and….LEGAL. Sadly, many leave legal matters unresolved – not because it seems more difficult – but because it seems like…well… it seems like it can wait.

For us at PyxisCare, it’s among the first questions we ask because having your legal documentation in place can change everything. Absolutely everything.

Along with our legal partners – or yours if you already have a lawyer – we use the process to help clients think through some of the most momentous decisions of their lives. This is not an overstatement. It’s not easy to think through scenarios of what could happen in a medical emergency or if you became suddenly critically ill. Who do you trust? Who will make your decisions? How do you want to live? These aren’t questions to ask yourself during a crisis.

Documents like the Medical Power of Attorney (Health Care Proxy) ensure that someone you trust is ready to step in and carry out your wishes should it become necessary. This doesn’t have to be a family member. It does need to be someone who understands your priorities.

Your health care proxy will use your Advance Health Care Directive (aka Living Will) to guide decision making and should outline how you want to be treated and how comfortable you want to be, if you are not able to communicate.

HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) forms vary state to state and if you want family members to have access to your medical information, this should be prepared.

Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) forms are possibly the most commonly referred to forms when discussing medical rights, and perhaps the least understood. Again, these vary state by state and must be signed by multiple parties to be valid.

These forms are easier to write about than they are to discuss, but my team takes pride in walking our clients through the process with confidence and compassion.

We work seamlessly with legal advisors to get all necessary documents in order and ensure that the clients’ wishes are being carried out in letter and in spirit.

A complicated or unresolved legal situation can make a painful medical situation much, much worse. So, I encourage you – in sickness and in health – to have a plan that you visit and revisit as your needs change.

If you’re like me and you’re lucky enough to see a lawyer today – tell them thank you for the expertise – and for the jokes.

Focus on Well-being: A Holistic Approach to Optimal Health

Cristal Clark has some words of comfort for all the extroverts who are struggling with social limits that the coronavirus has forced upon us: Your communities are still there. Your friends are, most likely, feeling the same way you are and experiencing similar emotions.

Clark, a licensed professional counselor and longtime behavioral health administrator, says each person should be aware of their own well-being and personal needs, are those needs being met or not being met, and seeking opportunities to connect with others.

Her starter checklist:

Are you sleeping?
Are you eating? Are you snacking all day at your desk?
What kind of exercise are you getting each day? A 15-minute walk releases endorphins that naturally improve mood.
What are you drinking? More soda? More alcohol Water? It is recommended a person drink half their body weight in ounces of water every day. (150lbs/2 = 75lbs, so 75 ounces of H2O a day)

Clark founded Fort Worth-based MC Wellness in 2010 and advocates for a holistic approach to overall health and wellness. To achieve well-being, people need to be aware of their physical health, their emotional health, environmental health and other needs, she says.

Clark’s views align with PyxisCare Management’s five-aspect assessment for clients. The proprietary tool considers medical, psychosocial, environmental, legal and financial needs. The PyxisCare team uses those insights that to develop custom solutions for families, fiduciaries and organizations that can benefit from care coordination and health plan management services.

Clark says our community connections are important, too, whether for school-age children who have been out of school-based settings for months or older clients living in senior housing.

“We are designed for companionship. Innately, when we were created there was instilled in us a desire for connection,” she says. “We all have a purpose, and that purpose is fulfilled through our connection with others.”

Clark invokes Gary Chapman’s 1992 bestseller “The 5 Love Languages” to explain human emotional needs through our various ways of communicating – words of affirmation, quality time, receiving gifts, acts of service and physical touch. COVID-19 has disrupted most of our regular human interactions, and some by a lot.

We should challenge ourselves to make dates with friends to walk in a park, enjoy an outdoor picnic or meet up on the patio of our favorite restaurant – all while observing public health and social distancing precautions, she says.

While social isolation can be difficult for kids and teens, it can be debilitating for a person who struggles with cognitive distortions, such as chronic negative thoughts and self-criticism, she added. Optimal health is achieved when the body, mind and spirit each are strong, Clark says

“If your body is broken, your mind and spirit have to overcompensate,” she says. “If you are super sad and you just cannot don’t get out of bed, the less you move, the less you move. Depression often increases sedentary (behavior which, over time, causes weakening in muscles. Weak muscles aren’t as effective in supporting skeletal mass as our bodies were designed. Somatic presentation of depression exacerbates the negative self-talk, and your mind then spirals. One affects the other.”

The antidote: Positive thoughts can have the opposite effect and contribute to overall health.

“I encourage people to reach out to others to help you figure out why you are engaging in unhealthy behaviors,’’ Clark says. “Once you figure out the why, usually you can figure out how to change the unhealthy behaviors.”

How do I know if I need professional help?

If you are thinking about needing help, reach out to a provider and talk with them. It’s that simple.
If you are having repetitive, negative thoughts about yourself, go talk to someone.

Best advice for employees who are managing chronic stress:

Contact your employer’s Employee Assistance Program. Many programs provide the employee and/or family member(s), three to five free sessions with a licensed counselor.
Take comfort in knowing that most EAP counselors see clients at sites other than the employer’s office.
Use vacation leave. Employees who take time off miss fewer work days and are more effective because they are taking care of themselves and recharging via a healthy work/life balance.

Garrett Metal Detectors: Empowering Employees to Improve Health, Reduce Costs

“Healthcare is one of the most complicated things we deal with in normal life, and people often need help to understand it… Our PyxisCare Personal Health Nurse can help you understand your bill, a diagnosis, or strategies for living a healthier life. She is here to help you.”

-Steve Novakovich, Garrett Metal Detectors CEO

With a background in mechanical engineering, aerospace, and oil and gas, Steve Novakovich might not have predicted the area that has consumed much of his attention since he was named Chief Executive Officer of Garrett Metal Detectors in 2018: Healthcare.

Shortly before Novakovich arrived at the Garland-based manufacturer of hobby detectors and security equipment, Garrett management converted to a self-insured healthcare model as a way to reign in escalating insurance premium increases. The company employs about 300 people, with most in technical and manufacturing roles.

This summer, Garrett took the next step toward total employee care. The company teamed with PyxisCare Management to implement a Strategic Health Plan Management Program. Garrett has opened an on-site office for a PyxisCare Personal Health Nurse. She meets directly with Garrett employees to help them connect with a primary care provider, understand diagnoses, bills, and other medical records, and to better manage their own health.

“We are blessed to have loyal employees, many of whom have been with our company for many years,” Novakovich said. “A couple of years ago, healthcare costs were growing out of control. We had some employees with chronic medical conditions that were driving expenses through the roof. It really woke us up and showed us that we could no longer rely on the standard model.”

Mindy Jones, PyxisCare founder and managing principal, said Strategic Health Plan Management is the next frontier for any business that recognizes the potential of containing and potentially reducing healthcare costs through an engaged workforce.

“Our nurses and administrators have for years been advising clients on how to maximize healthcare benefit usage, reduce costs, and most importantly, improve health,” Jones said. “Now, we’re pairing strategic leadership advising with the work of our talented and compassionate nurses as on-site partners to our corporate clients.”

Novakovich said Garrett initially was surprised to learn that many employees did not have a primary care provider whom they saw for annual physicals and routine check-ups.

“A lack of primary care has long-term consequences. Employees who are not receiving ongoing primary care will be less well, which drives costs higher through a greater need for acute healthcare and interventional medicine. We now encourage our employees to have a physical every year and to really understand and manage their own health,” he said.

PyxisCare was able to place a Vietnamese-speaking team member in the Personal Health Nurse role, which Novakovich said has been especially effective because Vietnamese is the first or second language for a large number of Garrett employees. The cultural and language connection has been a significant bonus, he said.

“Healthcare is one of the most complicated things we deal with in normal life, and people often need help to understand it,” Novakovich added. “The way we explained the Strategic Health Plan Management Program to our employees is that it is a new benefit for them. Our PyxisCare Personal Health Nurse can help you understand your bill, a diagnosis, or strategies for living a healthier life. She is here to help you.”