How Direct Primary Care Reduces Employee Sick Days
Introduction
If you run a business in Shreveport or Bossier City, you know that your greatest expense — and your greatest asset — is your people. But when employees miss work due to illness, stress, or chronic health problems, productivity drops and costs climb quickly.
What if you could prevent many of those absences before they happen? What if healthcare for your team could be affordable, easy to access, and genuinely effective?
That’s exactly what Direct Primary Care (DPC) offers.
At Shreveport Direct Care, we partner with small and medium-sized businesses across northwest Louisiana to improve employee health, reduce sick days, and control long-term healthcare expenses.
Let’s look at how the DPC model keeps teams healthier — and why it’s one of the smartest business decisions you can make.
The Cost of Poor Employee Health
Employee absenteeism costs American businesses over $225 billion each year, mostly from preventable illness.¹
The average worker misses 4.6 workdays annually for health-related reasons — but many of these absences could be avoided with faster, more accessible care.
Common drivers of absenteeism include:
Long waits for doctor’s appointments
Unmanaged chronic conditions (like diabetes or hypertension)
Mental health struggles and burnout
Delayed preventive care
Rising out-of-pocket costs that make employees avoid treatment altogether
A 2023 Harvard Business Review report found that companies with strong primary care access saw 40% fewer sick days per employee compared to national averages.²
When employees can’t access their doctor promptly, small issues become big problems — infections worsen, stress builds, and chronic illnesses spiral. The result is missed work, higher claims, and lower morale.
Why Traditional Healthcare Fails Businesses
In most employer health plans, workers face:
Two to four weeks to get a primary care appointment
Five-minute visits rushed by insurance billing limits
High deductibles and copays, discouraging preventive care
Fragmented communication — employees bounce between urgent care, specialists, and telehealth apps with no coordination
As a result, employees wait too long to seek care. Many end up in emergency rooms for issues that could have been handled quickly by their doctor — at a fraction of the cost.
That’s not sustainable for families or employers.
The Direct Primary Care Advantage
Direct Primary Care (DPC) flips that model on its head.
Instead of billing insurance for every visit, DPC works on a flat monthly membership fee — like a subscription. That fee covers unlimited visits, same-day scheduling, medication discounts, labs, and direct communication with your physician.
Here’s how that benefits businesses:
1. Faster Access, Healthier Employees
Employees can text or call their doctor directly and be seen the same or next day. Whether it’s a sinus infection, blood pressure check, or stress-related fatigue, problems are handled before they cause missed work.
At Shreveport Direct Care, we keep appointment slots open every day for same-day visits — and offer virtual options for those on the go.
Companies providing direct primary care access see up to 35% fewer ER visits and shorter recovery times from illness.³
2. Lower Overall Healthcare Costs
By preventing emergency visits, unnecessary labs, and specialist referrals, DPC can save employers 20–40% annually on total healthcare spending.
We also provide wholesale pricing on labs and medications — savings that can easily offset the cost of membership.
For small businesses that don’t offer traditional insurance, DPC memberships give employees affordable care and peace of mind — without the administrative burden of managing insurance claims.
3. Better Management of Chronic Disease
Conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and depression are responsible for most employee absences and healthcare costs.
In the traditional model, patients might see their doctor only once or twice a year. With DPC, employees have unlimited access — so they stay on top of checkups, medication adjustments, and lab monitoring.
That consistent, proactive care dramatically reduces complications, ER visits, and missed work.
4. Improved Employee Retention and Morale
In today’s job market, benefits matter more than ever.
Offering Direct Primary Care shows employees that you care about their well-being. It’s a tangible benefit they’ll use and appreciate — not a confusing insurance add-on.
Healthy employees are happier, more loyal, and more productive. They take fewer sick days, and they’re less likely to leave for another employer.
A 2022 Society for Human Resource Management survey found that 61% of employees said healthcare benefits were their top factor in job satisfaction.⁴
5. Reduced Absenteeism and “Presenteeism”
It’s not just about missing work — it’s about showing up while unwell and underperforming. Studies estimate that presenteeism (working while sick or stressed) costs U.S. businesses twice as much as absenteeism.⁵
By making healthcare accessible and convenient, DPC helps employees address problems early, recover faster, and bring their best selves to work.
A Real-World Example
One business owner partnered with a DPC clinic to cover 15 employees through Direct Primary Care memberships.
Before joining, their staff missed an average of 8 sick days per year due to minor illnesses and unmanaged blood pressure and diabetes. After 12 months of DPC membership, that number dropped to 3 sick days per employee, and employee satisfaction scores went up.
The employer’s feedback?
“Our team is healthier, happier, and we’re spending less time managing healthcare headaches.”
That’s the kind of real-world ROI that traditional insurance can’t deliver.
Why Shreveport Direct Care Is Different
As a physician-led DPC practice serving the Shreveport–Bossier area, we offer businesses:
Same-day and next-day appointments for employees
Unlimited visits — no copays, no deductibles
Free medications and discounted labs
Virtual visits for remote or busy workers
Personal physician access via text or phone
Transparent pricing with one monthly invoice per employee
Employers can sponsor memberships fully or partially, offering a meaningful benefit even without a full group insurance plan.
We handle the medical side — so you can focus on running your business.
The Takeaway
Healthy employees drive successful businesses. When healthcare is easy to access, affordable, and relationship-based, everyone wins.
Direct Primary Care is not just a medical solution — it’s a business strategy that saves money, improves morale, and keeps your workforce strong.
At Shreveport Direct Care, we make it simple for local employers to offer real healthcare value — no insurance middlemen, no hidden fees, no long waits. Just great care that gets results.
If you’re ready to learn how DPC can improve productivity, reduce absenteeism, and strengthen retention in your workplace, we’d love to talk.
📞 Call or text (318) 588-7060 or visit www.shreveportdirectcare.com to learn how we can help the health of your business,
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Workplace Health Promotion: Absenteeism Costs of Chronic Diseases.Updated 2022.
Harvard Business Review. “The Hidden Costs of Employee Absenteeism.” 2023.
Eskew PM et al. Health Serv Res Manag Epidemiol. 2022;9:23333928221110207.
Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). Employee Benefits Survey. 2022.
Johns G. Journal of Organizational Behavior. 2010;31(4):519–542.