District hears report on Innovia Health near-site clinic; staff report early uptake

The Stevens Point Area Public School District heard an informational presentation from Innovia Health (the near-site direct primary-care provider) on utilization and the company's model for employee health services.

Ken Strumiska, identified as a founder of Innovia Health during the presentation, said Innovia began serving the Stevens Point area on Oct. 1 and described the company's direct primary-care emphasis on access, extended appointment time and cost control. Innovia representatives said the model centers on primary-care relationships, offering longer visits (minimum 30 minutes), on-site biometrics and same- or next-day access.

Innovia reported that, since October 1, it has provided 105 visits to district staff and conducted on-site biometrics events. Company clinicians described patient stories in which extended visits and rapid diagnostics avoided higher-cost specialty or emergency care. Innovia said some employer partners have seen large reductions in overall health spending (presenter cited a reduction figure in the neighborhood of 30% as an example based on other employer clients), and emphasized that most savings accrue when specialty referrals and emergency care are avoided by timely primary-care intervention.

Cost and access details described in the meeting: - Innovia does not bill insurance for visits; the model is cash/capitated with the employer to lower overall plan costs. - The district staff co-pay reported in the meeting for visits was $10 (presenters said the district's plan currently requires that staff pay $10 per visit; the company said it would prefer lower or zero member cost where practical). - Innovia staff said they expect 30'40% utilization among enrolled staff over time; the presenters said the district could expect roughly 145'150 care episodes per month at that utilization level given district size. - The Innovia presenters said they would expand staffing if demand rose above current capacity.

Board members asked about how Innovia achieves quicker specialist access when needed, how savings are realized, and whether the contract will scale if utilization increases. Innovia representatives acknowledged they cannot change specialist schedules but said they can advocate to prioritize urgent cases and coordinate referrals when necessary. Administration and board members requested utilization and financial summaries after a year to evaluate cost-effectiveness and return on investment.

Quotations (verbatim from meeting): "We believe in better primary care. Better care, better access, and better cost." — Ken Strumiska, Innovia Health (founder, speaking at the meeting) "Minimum 30 minute visit... if she can take care of the issue rather than refer them on to a specialist, that's a tremendous cost savings to you." — Innovia presenter (discussion of model)

Next steps: board members asked administration to track utilization, membership uptake, service access measures, and the contract's cost-effectiveness; administration agreed to provide periodic utilization reports.