For innovative employers, providing employee health coverage entails more than just offering health insurance. It becomes the focal point to improving the overall health of their employees and their families. American Showa, Inc., an auto parts manufacturer with two manufacturing plants in Ohio, is leading this effort by joining with Concentra to open the Showa Associates’ Wellness Center, a new 4,000-square-foot medical center located near its manufacturing facility in Blanchester, Ohio.

Beginning in April 2010, Concentra will operate the new health and wellness center exclusively for Showa employees (referred to as ‘associates’) and their dependents. Through Concentra’s TotalCare suite of services, the Center will offer urgent care, physical therapy, and preventive medical services to associates and their dependents as well as occupational medicine for Showa associates.

American Showa chose to work with Concentra because of our innovative health services offerings, our proven ability to bring superior medical services to employer worksites, and our four community-based medical facilities located in Ohio. The goal of the new Showa Associates’ Wellness Center is to improve access to quality health and wellness services, while promoting preventive and well-patient programs existing in other Showa benefit programs.

“We are excited to be able to offer our associates and their dependents convenient access to high-quality routine and ongoing medical care through Concentra. By opening the Showa Associates’ Wellness Center, we are demonstrating our commitment to improve our associates’ and their families’ health and overall well-being, while reducing their cost for care,” said Yoshitaka Terazawa, President of American Showa, Inc.

The Wellness Center’s planned hours of operation are 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday, Wednesday, and Friday; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday; and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., every other Saturday. When the Center opens in April, more than 1,741 American Showa associates and dependents will have access to a full-service health and wellness center managed by Concentra. Our TotalCare services combine best-practice medical strategies to help prevent disease and promote healthy lifestyles, and focus on health education and employee engagement throughout our health improvement programs.

“Concentra has a strong track record of providing worksite health care solutions to some of the largest employers in the country,” said Mike McCollum, President of Concentra Health Solutions. “We are pleased to provide skillful, experienced health care services directly to employees, where and when they need them. By improving the health and well-being of American Showa associates and their family members, we help to enhance the lives and livelihood of America’s future.”