by Bobby Anderson, RN, Staff Writer
Integris Health has long had a mandate to serve the community. Sometimes that means going out into the community to meet those health needs.
That’s the idea behind the annual Hispanic Health Fair and Mobile Clinic. The 32nd edition of the event will be held from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 30 at Moore Norman Technology Center, 13301 S Pennsylvania, Oklahoma City.
Services are free to the public.
Participants will be offered information and resources on health and wellness and free health screenings will be available including cholesterol, glucose, blood pressure, vision and dental screenings along with lung function testing, hearing exams, EKGs, immunizations and COVID-19 immunizations and testing. (story continues below)
JOB OPPORTUNITIES AT COMMUNITY HOSPITAL and NORTHWEST SURGICAL HOSPITAL
Valerie Bell, APRN, serves at the Integris Health Community Clinic.
She says the INTEGRIS Health Mobile Clinic provides health services for underserved Oklahomas through health screenings, food distribution, cooking demonstrations, support groups, chronic disease support and wellness resources.
“We offer comprehensive mobile health care led by a team of nurses and health educators,” Bell said. “The distinctive advantage of the mobile clinic is the ability to reach underserved patients in their neighborhoods, eliminating the physical barriers to care, such as inadequate transportation and dispersed services. The mobile clinic opens its doors directly into communities with the help of several partnerships to offer a continuum of care to the underserved and uninsured.”
For more than three decades now, the health fair has been a staple in south Oklahoma City. Bell says by removing the physical barriers of healthcare and meeting those in their own environment it helps to break down healthcare barriers for a population that is often hesitant to seek treatment.
“Hispanics are among the most vulnerable populations in Oklahoma with declining access to consistent care,” Bell said. “We are committed to improving accessibility to health care through the mobile clinic. Hispanics can also face language, cultural and economic barriers. Through the mobile clinic, we are providing quality, professional health care, and health resources at no cost to those who need it.”
Bell says she was drawn to nursing to help those that needed help. Serving the Hispanic community through the Mobile Clinic just makes sense.
“I was drawn to nursing by my passion to serve the underserved and to give them the quality care they deserve,” Bell said. “Along with my team, we work hard and enjoy the satisfaction of seeing our patients take charge of their health and make the necessary changes to live healthier lives.”
“The Integris Mobile Clinic is a health and education clinic with a robust variety of services for our community and their needs. Focused on expanding access, promoting prevention and improving chronic disease management, the mobile clinic targets at-risk-areas in Oklahoma. By traveling to these communities, our mobile clinic removes barriers such as transportation issues, difficulties making appointments and long wait times.”
Seeking services at the mobile clinic can begin a continuum of care for patients, who can then be referred for their additional needs.
“Our mission of partnering with people to live healthier lives extends our reach far beyond the walls of our hospitals to bridge the gap to those who need our help most,” Bell said.
Since opening a free medical clinic in 1993 in the inner city, Integris has continued to serve the underserved.
One of the largest free, all-volunteer clinics in the state recently made an increased investment in its ability to serve the Hispanic population by adding additional interpreters.
Carmen Romo, program manager for Hispanic Outreach with INTEGRIS Community Health Improvement, contacted the faculty of OSU OKC’s Technical Spanish/Translation and Interpretation Department and Tulsa Community College for their assistance with locating technical Spanish students who would be interested in volunteering their time as interpreters at the clinics.
The students would have the opportunity to practice their Spanish in the field in a clinic setting along with their preceptors and receive certification for their interpreter services.
Through those conversations, Integris Health clinics now have two to three additional Spanish speaking volunteer interpreters at each of their clinics through their OSU OKC and Tulsa Community College partner agencies.
Cancer screenings will also be available during the fair by appointment only for skin, oral, breast, prostate, and colorectal cancer.
Reservations are required for all cancer screenings. For more information and reservations, please call 405-636-7548 or 405-636-7549.
For more information about INTEGRIS health visit:
https://integrisok.com/careers
