Posted On: March 9, 2023 by Community HealthCare System in: Community health news News
No matter your age or health status, regular screenings are important. Community HealthCare System will make it easier to obtain those screenings on April 29 with a Health Fair in both St. Marys and Holton.
The Health Fair will offer low-cost labs from 8:00 to 11:00 a.m. in both locations. Individuals can receive a complete blood count, chemistry panel, thyroid screen, cholesterol panel, and hemoglobin A1c for diabetes screening for $25. A prostate specific antigen, or PSA, test can be added for $15. Payment is by cash, check, or credit card. Patients are encouraged to schedule in advance. For Holton, call 785-364-3205, and for St. Marys, call 785-437-3734 and let registration staff know you’d like an appointment at the Health Fair. Walk-ins will also be welcome.
Merica Surdez, chief of provider and clinic operations at CHCS, said it’s a good idea for anyone age 18 and over to have blood drawn for wellness labs. Those with health conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or obesity should be sure to have the tests.
“Everyone – including young, healthy people who would not routinely qualify for screening labs – should consider having their labs completed at the Health Fair. It is quick, easy, and affordable, and it helps prompt important conversations with your primary care provider [PCP],” Surdez said.
Surdez added that people with chronic health conditions should have labs completed at minimum once a year. Community HealthCare System has offered low-cost labs in Onaga for the past two years in October, but Surdez said she is excited to make the service available to more CHCS communities.
“We are thrilled to bring low-cost labs to Holton and St. Marys and hope it will help more patients take advantage of the Health Fair. We will look forward to offering low-cost labs again this fall in Onaga,” she said. The date for the October 2023 Health Fair in Onaga has not yet been set.
Individuals should fast before having blood drawn, meaning they should not eat or drink anything other than water or black coffee after 12:00 midnight.
Signs will be posted and staff will be available to direct patients, and all in attendance will be asked to self-screen for COVID-19. Scheduling appointments in advance will help ensure adequate spacing of patients. If waiting areas become full, some people may be asked to wait outside briefly.
All who participate in the Health Fair will fill out a consent form, proceed to the drawing stations to have blood drawn, and have the opportunity to grab a snack and a drink, plus some information about CHCS services, on their way out. Individuals will receive blood test results in the mail. Because of the nature of the event, results will not be sent to primary care providers, so individuals should plan to contact their provider’s office for an appointment to discuss results. Surdez said that discussing lab results with your PCP assists with early detection of any abnormalities.
"The best thing to do after receiving your results is to schedule an office visit with your PCP,” Surdez said.
Staff from the CHCS Birth Center will also be available at the events to provide information as well as a prize drawing.
“We are happy to meet growing families and answer questions, and our Birth Center team is looking forward to offering a great prize in both Holton and St. Marys,” said Mindy Olberding, chief nursing officer.
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