To help kick off the new year, Sycamore Shoals Hospital will be hosting the first in a series of low-cost community health screenings next weekend.
“We want to do our best to keep the community aware of their health and provide them with a way to stay healthy,” said Corey Paulson, Director of Marketing and Communications for Sycamore Shoals Hospital. “Sycamore Shoals Hospital’s goal is to be a great community partner.”
Each year, Sycamore Shoals Hospital hosts four community health screenings — one each quarter — as a way to promote better health for the community.
This is the first of the community health screenings to be held this year, Paulson said. The event will take place on Saturday, Jan. 14, from 7-9 a.m. Saturday. The remaining health screenings will be held April 8, July 8 and Oct. 14, all from 7-9 a.m.
Participants will receive a free blood pressure check at the event and get blood work drawn and processed at a very low cost, Paulson said, adding the cost of the blood work is $15 (cash or check), and no insurance is required.
“This allows people to come in and get their levels checked — their cholesterol and their blood glucose — at a low cost who might not have been able to afford it otherwise,” he said.
Included in the tests for the blood work, lab staff will check blood glucose, hematocrit (which is the percentage of red blood cells present in the blood), triglycerides, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels and risk ratio testing.
The test samples will be processed on site at the SSH phlebotomy lab, and the results will be mailed to participants within a week, Paulson said. Participants can take their results to their primary care physician if they want to, Paulson said.
“These are fasting blood work tests, so participants should not eat or drink anything for eight to 10 hours prior to the tests,” Paulson said.
The tests are done early in the morning, he said, because patients are required to fast for several hours prior to the screening. The cafeteria at the hospital will be open for those who want to eat after their tests are completed.
At each screening, an average of 30-40 people participate, which average to around 150 per year, Paulson said.
To register, call 800-888-5551. Walk-ins are also welcome.
The screenings will take place in the classrooms at the hospital which are located near the cafeteria. Those taking part in the health screening are asked to park on the east side of the hospital (to the right of the main entrance) and enter under the blue awning.