Tyson Foods to Pilot Clinics to Promote Culture of Health

SPRINGDALE, Ark., Sept. 03, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As part of efforts to boost the overall health and wellness of its workforce, Tyson Foods, Inc. (NYSE: TSN) is partnering with to pilot seven health clinics near company production facilities. The clinics will give Tyson team members and their families easier access to high-quality healthcare and, in most cases, at no cost.*

The clinics, which will be operated by Marathon Health, will provide primary and preventive care, including health screenings, lifestyle coaching and health education, as well as behavioral health counseling. They will also collaborate with plant community health providers, including primary care physicians and specialists, to ensure appropriate care is delivered. 

The pilot clinic project represents the expansion of the company’s workplace safety program to include overall team member health and wellness. It is an addition to the company’s existing health services staff, which includes on-site occupational health nurses at most plant locations.

“We’re piloting these clinics to promote a culture of health in our company that results in a healthier workforce,” said Johanna Söderström, executive vice president and chief human resources officer for Tyson Foods. “Some of our frontline team members aren’t using their health plan benefits, and others don’t seek care until there’s a crisis. We want to change that by providing access to care that can help detect health conditions early and promote healthy habits.”

“Partnering with Tyson to improve the health and wellbeing of their employees and families is an honor for Marathon Health,” said Jerry Ford, CEO of Marathon Health. “We offer care that often looks beyond the symptoms and helps people take new actions around their own health. We are excited to see the profound changes in the lives of the people we will serve at the Tyson health centers. “

Marathon Health was ranked the by Klas, an independent research firm that has been providing impartial insights to the healthcare industry since 1996. 

The April KLAS 2020 report said, “Viewed as a strong partner, Marathon Health is the clear performance leader in this market. Clients report positive health outcomes (including improved management of weight and chronic conditions), and high satisfaction with the firm’s wellness and lifestyle coaching and proactive approach to employee health.”

One of the first clinics will be in Storm Lake, Iowa, where the company operates two plants and employs more than 3,300 people. A clinic will also be established at the company’s Holcomb, Kansas, plant that employs more than 3,000 people. The locations of the other clinics will be disclosed soon. Marathon Health is targeting to start opening centers in the first half of 2021.

The seven pilot clinics will serve nearly 38,000 Tyson team members and their families. Spouses, dependents age 2 and older who are covered by the Tyson insurance plan, will be eligible. The clinics will be designed to serve a diverse workforce, providing communications in multiple languages.

"These investments in employee health care, in collaboration with local providers, are critically important to rural communities across the country," said Maggie Elehwany of the . "We look forward to working with Tyson Foods and other public and private partners to ensure the health and wellbeing of rural America's families." 

The clinic services are in addition to the benefits already offered to team members such as affordable health, life, dental, vision and prescription drug benefits. Tyson Foods requires all regular, full-time team members who have completed 59 days of employment to have health care coverage through either the company-sponsored health plan or through a family member’s plan. This means that 100 percent of the company’s eligible team members have access to health care coverage.

, Tyson Foods has created a chief medical officer position and plans to add almost 200 nurses and administrative support personnel to supplement the more than 400 people currently part of the company’s health services team. The new chief medical officer will lead the company’s strategy for occupational health and team member wellness.

*Team members enrolled in a high deductible health (HDHP) plan will pay a fee for visits until deductible is met. This applies to less than 2% of eligible team members.

About Tyson Foods

Tyson Foods, Inc. is one of the world’s largest food companies and a recognized leader in protein. Founded in 1935 by John W. Tyson and grown under three generations of family leadership, the company has a broad portfolio of products and brands like Tyson®, Jimmy Dean®, Hillshire Farm®, Ball Park®, Wright®, Aidells®, ibp® and State Fair®. Tyson Foods innovates continually to make protein more sustainable, tailor food for everywhere it’s available and raise the world’s expectations for how much good food can do. Headquartered in Springdale, Arkansas, the company has 141,000 team members. Through its Core Values, Tyson Foods strives to operate with integrity, create value for its shareholders, customers, communities and team members and serve as a steward of the animals, land and environment entrusted to it. Visit

About Marathon Health

Marathon Health operates health centers for employer organizations spread across nearly 40 states and within several industry verticals—unions, manufacturing, professional services, finance, school districts, city and county government, and hospitals. The Marathon Health approach integrates the best practices of advanced primary care, health assessment with risk identification, coaching and advocacy, behavioral health and therapy, occupational health, physical therapy, and disease management for high cost, chronic conditions. For more information, please visit .

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Category: IR