Employees of Perdue have the convenience of a  doctor’s office at work, now that the new $45,000 Wellness Center is open.

“The concept is really innovative. I know that bigger companies, like Google, have wellness centers for their associates but this is very innovative for the industry we’re in and the community we serve,” said Dawn Carey, director of corporate HealthWorks  for Perdue.

Patients are seen for ailments such as colds and sore throats at the center, but the physician, Dr. Nick Borodulia, will also perform procedures and complete blood work.

Borodulia, a family practice physician, has worked for Perdue four years, and will divide his time between the Salisbury and Georgetown health centers.

He’ll be in Salisbury Mondays and Fridays and a nursing supervisor and medical supervisor will man the center.

Employees can make appointments without taking time off work or losing pay. They, and dependents, who have Perdue insurance will have a $15 co-pay. Those without the insurance will be charged $30 per visit.

“We want our associates to be healthy and stay healthy, but we also want them to be engaged in work,” Carey said.

Jim Perdue, chairman of the international company, said while most employers focus on delivering treatment, “we’ve developed a program that delivers better health.”

“It’s a substantial investment on the part of our company, but the payback is that our associates and their families are healthier. That’s a return on investment that benefits our associates, our company and the community,” Perdue said.

He is the third generation to run the poultry company, founded in 1920.

The 900-square-foot Wellness Center, at the Perdue AgriBusiness complex, is among 15 at the company’s major facilities and the fourth on Delmarva.

“For our associates and their covered dependents, the Wellness Center becomes their family doctor,” Carey said.

It’s part of Perdue’s comprehensive health and wellness program that includes the Health Improvement Program, known as HIP, to promote  good health.

Employees who participate in HIP get a discount on health insurance if they agree to see a doctor regularly and carefully manage their risk factors.