Hospital District #1 of Rice County - Spring Health Round-Up

What is it?

This annual health fair brings together more than 70 agencies that provide health-related services in Rice County. Attendees may participate in free screenings including bone density, blood glucose, lipids, and PSA, digital prostate exams, pulmonary function, diabetic foot checks for sensitivity, hearing, spine, and blood pressure checks. Each year fingerprint ID is available for kids, adult tetanus vaccines may be updated, bicycle safety is explained, organ transplant is promoted, and neck and shoulder massages are offered.

Corporate sponsorships are solicited from area businesses to allow everything to be provided at no cost to participants. Additional corporate sponsors and agencies to provide information are sought each year. A survey is done at each Round-Up to query from participants what screenings they would like to see added. Planning for the next year’s event begins immediately, with suggestions from the surveys strongly considered.

This event takes cooperation from the entire hospital staff. Last year, 72 percent of the hospital staff worked in some capacity during the Round-Up.

Who is it for?

Residents of all ages in Rice County.

Why do they do it?

Being able to connect to health care services that are needed, when they are needed, is sometimes difficult. It can be expensive and very stressful for patients and their families. Spring Health Round-Up brings together, under one roof, many of the health-related services and opportunities that are available to families in Rice County. Gaining the information in this venue can equip participants in the future to simplify difficult transitions and allow the patient and their family to maintain their role as "head of their health care team." It has also allowed improved networking between the agencies that provide the medical service to families. This promotes improved continuity of care for the patient.

For many people, the information from the screenings has either calmed a fear or diagnosed a problem. For some of these people, the free testing is the first step in finally taking care of a medical need. They can then use the information gained for follow-up with the proper agency.

During the last three events, the planning committee has heard many times, "I didn't know we had all this in Rice County," as they looked at all of the health-related agencies assembled in one location.

Impact

Since starting in 2004, the fair has grown to more than 1,000 residents attending to gain information about everything from Meals on Wheels to dental and eye care and hospice care to family planning and WIC.

Contact: Mary Konen, RN/CDE
Telephone: 620-257-5173
E-mail: mkonen@rch-lyons.com