This August, Healthy Connections joins the CDC in recognizing National Immunization Awareness Month.
In recent months, families have been doing their part by staying at home as much as possible to help stop the spread of Covid-19. As communities continue to open up and some children head back to in-person school, it’s important your child goes in for their well-child visit. These well-child visits are essential for many reasons including:
- Tracking growth and development including milestones, social behaviors, and learning.
- Discussing any concerns about your child’s health.
- Getting scheduled vaccinations to prevent illnesses like measles and whooping cough (pertussis) and 12 other serious diseases.
Healthy Connections has pediatrics clinics in De Queen, Hot Springs, and Malvern. Learn more about our pediatrics program at www.healthy-connections.org/pediatrics. Healthy Connections accepts Medicaid, ARKids 1st, and most other health insurance. There is also a sliding-fee scale for patients without insurance who qualify.
And if parents still need help paying for vaccines, talk to your doctor or nurse about the Vaccines For Children Program. This program provides free vaccines to children who are Medicaid-eligible, uninsured, underinsured, or American Indian/Alaska Native.
These can be challenging times for parents. But you still have the power to help keep your child healthy. Making sure that your child sees their doctor for well-child visits and vaccines is one of the best things you can do to protect your child and community.
If you’re not sure what vaccines are needed when, the CDC has created easy-to-follow schedules.
Click here for birth through 6-years-old.
Click here for 7 through 18-years-old.
-CDC
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Check out our shining stars. Presenting the Healthy Connections July Employees of the Month for July:
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WEST: MALISSA SMITH
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WEST: DUSTIN MCCARTY
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EAST: MELISSA GIFFORD
As Employees of the Month, they are entitled to either a $50 gift card or one day off.
Throughout July, Malissa, Dustin, and Melissa exemplified our Health Connections three pillars of Excellence, Compassion, and Community.
Malissa is the patient care coordinator for Cardiology and is based in Mena. This month, Malissa ensured that all supplies were available, organized, and ready when Dr. Vito Calandro was in Mena for the cardiology clinic. This helped make Dr. Calandro’s time more efficient.
Check out what Malissa’s co-workers had to say about her:
- “Malissa is fun to work with and very easy going. She is always willing to help.”
- “Malissa has a disciplined and reliable work ethic. She initiates help to hear teammates and makes an effort to educate herself on all aspects of her job. She is efficient with her time and is mindful of deadlines.”
Dustin works in IT in Mena and monitors and maintains the computer systems, diagnoses hardware and software issues. This month he went above and beyond in developing a print server and then making changes throughout to accommodate the needs across Healthy Connections.
Check out what some of Dustin’s co-workers had to say about him:
- “Dustin is always available, checks in on all of us, and immediately fixes our oops-ups.”
- “He’s always there when we need him … and we need him a lot.”
Melissa is a Licensed Practical Nurse at the Malvern clinic. The Malvern clinic has continued to be busy despite having to rotate providers throughout the past couple of months. And Melissa has been a great team player during this time.
Here’s what Melissa’s co-workers said about her:
- “Melissa is a wonderful, thorough, informative nurse. She will help anyone with anything.”
Do you know who should be our next Healthy Connections Employees of the month? You can nominate them at www.healthy-connections.org/nominate.
Healthy Connections, Inc., has now provided more than 3,500 free Covid-19 tests throughout Arkansas as part of its mass testing program.
Healthy Connections, a Mena-based nonprofit community health network, has put on 27 events in 13 cities and 11 counties in Arkansas since late May. The result has been 3,544 free Covid-19 tests given. Most of these events were open to the general public and tested anyone who wanted to be tested, regardless of symptoms. These tests are in addition to the Covid-19 tests that have been given in Healthy Connections’ medical clinics.
Healthy Connections staff has spent more than 90 hours testing at these events with varying weather. Some came during heavy rainstorms while others came during extreme heat. During that time, the drive-through events tested patients in cars, trucks, SUVs, vans, motorcycles, lawnmowers, tractors, golf carts, and even some fire engines.
The most tests provided in a single day was 592 on July 16 at the Four States Fair in Texarkana. That event, combined with two events in Benton on July 15, also made for the largest weekly testing total of 840.
Healthy Connections has also spent some time in July testing businesses and their employees.
The next pop-up testing event is scheduled to be Saturday August 15, 2020, at the Farmers Market in Hot Springs. This testing event is open to the public and a part of Difference Makers of Hot Springs’ Community Resource Fair. Testing is scheduled that day from 3 to 6 p.m.
Until then, Healthy Connections is still testing patients at all of its medical clinics in Mena, Little Rock, Hot Springs, Malvern, Arkadelphia, Mount Ida, and De Queen. In-clinic tests are considered medical appointments and patients should call 888-710-8220 to schedule. Healthy Connections accepts Medicaid, ArKids 1st, Medicare, and most private health insurance. There is also a sliding-fee scale for patients without health insurance who qualify. Health insurance companies are waiving all copays for Covid-19 testing. All the information about testing can be found at www.GetTestedFree.com.
Healthy Connections clinics are open, safe, healthy, and here for the communities they serve. The Healthy Connections community health network is a federally-qualified health center (FQHC). Healthy Connections and Evolve Behavioral Health both accept Medicaid, ARKids 1st, Medicare, and most private health insurance. There is also a sliding-fee scale for patients without health insurance who qualify. Medicaid patients may be required to switch their primary care provider to Healthy Connections before they can be seen. Learn more about Healthy Connections at www.healthy-connections.org.
Nearly 600 Free Covid-19 tests were done by Healthy Connections in a visit to the Four States Fair in Texarkana, Ark., on July 16.
Non-profit Healthy Connections brought its free Covid-19 testing tour to Miller County and the response was nothing short of incredible. The line reached nearly 50 cars as the 9 a.m. start time arrived. And despite working in tremendous heat, the staff was able to give 592 free tests.
No insurance was collected and patients didn’t even get out of their vehicles. We expect these results to be returned within seven to 10 days.
Miller County marked the 11th Arkansas county to receive a stop for free Covid-19 testing. The tour began May 21 in De Queen and has now seen more than 3,300 free tests given. Tests have been given in Pulaski, Saline, Garland, Montgomery, Polk, Sevier, Howard, Pike, Clark, Hot Spring, and now Miller counties.
While there are no additional pop-up events scheduled in July, Healthy Connections is continuing to test at its Arkansas-based clinics in Little Rock, Hot Springs, Mena, Malvern, Arkadelphia, Mount Ida, and De Queen. Note that for testing in the clinic, patients can make same-day appointments by calling 888-710-8220. Copays are being waived for Covid-19 testing done at the clinic. Learn more at www.GetTestedFree.com.
The Healthy Connections Community Health Network includes the primary care/family medicine clinics of Healthy Connections, Healthy Connections Specialty, Evolve Behavioral Health and Medication Management, and Health For Life Clinic.
Healthy Connections clinics are open, safe, healthy, and here for the communities they serve. The Healthy Connections community health network is a federally-qualified health center (FQHC). Healthy Connections and Evolve Behavioral Health both accept Medicaid, ARKids 1st, Medicare, and most private health insurance. There is also a sliding-fee scale for patients without health insurance who qualify. Medicaid patients may be required to switch their primary care provider to Healthy Connections before they can be seen. Learn more about Healthy Connections at www.healthy-connections.org.
Healthy Connections will expand access for Covid-19 testing by taking our free testing pop-up tour to Benton and Texarkana this week.
Free drive-through testing sites will be available in Benton on Wednesday, July 15, and Texarkana, Ark., on Thursday, July 16. Miller County (Texarkana) will be the 11th Arkansas County to have received free Covid-19 testing.
At the pop-up testing sites, patients don’t even get out of their vehicles. The new “simple” Covid-19 test is much easier to receive and less painful than other tests previously given. No insurance information is collected and patients are through the testing area and on their way in just a few minutes. Results from these tests are being received on average in five to seven days.
Wednesday, July 15, 2020
7 a.m. to 11 a.m., River Center, 1800 Citizens Drive, Benton
12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., Ralph Bunche Park, 1300 S. East St., Benton
Thursday, July 16
9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Four States Fairgrounds, 3700 E. 50th St., Texarkana, Ark.
The Healthy Connections Free Covid-19 testing popup tour began on May 21 in De Queen and has seen more than 2,500 tests given in 11 Arkansas counties. This will be the second visit to Benton and the first to Texarkana. See the complete schedule at www.GetTestedFree.com.
Covid-19 testing is also being done at every Healthy Connections clinic. Copays are being waived for Covid-19 testing done in the clinic. Call 888-710-8220 to schedule appointments. The complete schedule and all testing information can be found at www.GetTestedFree.com.
Healthy Connections clinics are open, safe, healthy, and here for the communities they serve. The Healthy Connections community health network is a federally-qualified health center (FQHC). Healthy Connections and Evolve Behavioral Health both accept Medicaid, ARKids 1st, Medicare, and most private health insurance. There is also a sliding-fee scale for patients without health insurance who qualify. Medicaid patients may be required to switch their primary care provider to Healthy Connections before they can be seen. Learn more about Healthy Connections at www.healthy-connections.org.
