Health fairs are more than a feel-good initiative — they’re a strategic tool for expanding your occupational health practice. Whether you’re launching a new employer service line or seeking to strengthen relationships with existing clients, a well-run health fair showcases your clinical capabilities, builds trust, and opens doors to recurring onsite opportunities.
But as many urgent care and occupational medicine teams have learned the hard way, health fairs can quickly become chaotic or even risky if they’re not planned properly. Without defined roles, protocols, and oversight, what should be a straightforward event turns into a compliance headache or a missed opportunity to impress an employer partner.
At NAOHP, we work with providers nationwide who are building out their employer-facing services. This article summarizes what we’ve seen work — and what we’ve packaged into our new Health Fair & Onsite Clinic Toolkit to help you avoid common pitfalls.
Why Health Fairs Are a Smart First Step
Health fairs are often the first “yes” an employer gives when you’re pitching occupational health services. They’re non-invasive, they support wellness incentives, and they allow employers to demonstrate care for their workforce.
For clinics, they offer several advantages:
- Low-barrier market entry: You don’t need long-term contracts to get started.
- Showcase services: Demonstrate professionalism, clinical acumen, and patient rapport.
- Build data trust: Aggregate reports can illustrate population risk and justify future interventions.
- Gateway to onsite clinics or injury care: Health fairs often lead to deeper service agreements.
That said, they also come with regulatory, clinical, and reputational risks if not executed correctly.
What Can Go Wrong — and How to Avoid It
Here are some of the most common mistakes we see:
- Clinics fail to establish standing orders for nurses and MAs.
- CLIA-waived testing is done without proper documentation or oversight.
- Participants receive test results without interpretation or guidance.
- Critical results (like dangerously high blood pressure) are not escalated appropriately.
- Employers are given identifiable health data without proper consent.
- Teams don’t follow through with post-event reporting or recommendations.
Fortunately, all of these are avoidable with planning, the right tools, and adherence to best practices.
6 Steps to Set Up a Safe, Compliant, and Professional Health Fair
1. Define Scope and Services
Are you offering blood pressure, glucose, A1c, lipid testing, flu shots, or hearing screens? Will you include mental health screenings, ergonomic evaluations, or biometric measurements? Know exactly what will be offered — and who is qualified to perform each test.
2. Implement Standing Orders
If nurses or MAs are administering tests, they must do so under a licensed provider’s signed standing orders. These orders should clearly define:
- Test parameters
- Who may perform the task
- Referral thresholds
- Documentation and charting procedures
These orders should be reviewed and updated annually by the medical director or supervising physician.
3. Understand State Regulations
Scope of practice varies by state. In California, RNs require standardized procedures for delegated medical functions. In Texas, Standing Delegation Orders (SDOs) define what RNs can do under physician authority. In Florida, MAs must be directly supervised. Know your local laws before staffing a health fair.
4. Use Participant Handouts
Each participant should receive a handout that includes:
- Their test results
- What the result means
- Recommendations for follow-up
- A space for their provider’s contact info
This promotes appropriate medical follow-up and demonstrates your clinic’s professionalism and patient focus.
5. Plan for Emergencies
Have a written protocol for critical result escalation. If someone presents with a glucose over 400 mg/dL or BP of 190/120, your team needs to:
- Stop further testing
- Recheck the result if safe
- Notify the supervising provider
- Refer or transfer care immediately
Document all actions taken.
6. Report Back to the Employer
After the event, provide a de-identified summary that shows the number of participants screened and general trends (e.g., 30% had elevated BP, 12% had abnormal glucose). This reinforces your value and sets the stage for a deeper discussion on next steps — flu shots, worksite clinics, injury care, or ergonomic assessments.
NAOHP Has You Covered: Get the Toolkit
To make this process easier, we’ve assembled a complete, ready-to-use toolkit for setting up and running health fairs and onsite employer clinics. It includes:
- A practice brief outlining scope, standing orders, and chart review standards
- Pre-event planning checklist
- Consent and release forms
- Standing orders for each test
- Chart audit and QA tools
- Participant result handouts
- Critical result escalation protocol
- Post-event report template
- Equipment ordering guide with affiliate vendor links
Get The Toolkit Now – $97
Ideal for urgent cares, hospital-based occ med programs, and growing clinics getting started with employer services.
Looking Ahead
Health fairs are more than community outreach — they are a scalable, measurable, and contract-worthy part of your occupational health offering. When done right, they build relationships, demonstrate clinical expertise, and create repeat employer business.
Let NAOHP be your guide in getting it right.
Questions? Need help tailoring the toolkit to your state or staffing model?
Email info@naohp.com or join NAOHP for access to ongoing tools, training, and community.
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