MMH switches up blood draws, health fair
If you’ve been attending Melissa Memorial Hospital’s blood draws and health fairs like clockwork for years, you should take note of new programs being implemented this year.
Instead of discounted blood draws taking place during a small window of time once a year, they are now being offered weekly.
In what MMH calls a “Direct Access” opportunity, discounted blood draws are taken at the hospital every Friday from 7 a.m.-4 p.m.
“It’s like a health fair all year long,” said Elizabeth Hutches, public affairs specialist at MMH. She said the hospital is hoping this will work better for patients’ schedules.
Walk-ins are welcome, and no doctor’s orders are required. No insurance is taken since the blood draws are offered at a discounted rate. When arriving, participants should check in at the MMH admissions counter.
Don’t forget to fast for 10-12 hours and drink lots of water before a blood draw. However, continue taking all medications.
Tests include complete blood chemistry, vitamin D, prostate-specific antigen, A1C for blood sugar over the last three months and thyroid-stimulating hormone. Additional tests are free triiodothyronine, free thyroxine and iron profile.
Results will be mailed to the patient. Once they get the results, they can choose to take them to Family Practice of Holyoke where their current provider can look them over and file them with their charts. The patient will be notified if there is a reason for them to make an appointment for something to be looked at more closely.
Hutches reminds the community that hospital/clinic forms are offered in Spanish, and translators with specific medical training are available during blood draws and appointments.
MMH lab employees noted that since they are offering the discounted blood draws on Fridays, drug screenings and blood alcohol tests are only available Monday-Thursday. The lab needs to be contacted for special exceptions for Friday screenings.
Health fairs to target specific audiences
Traditionally, MMH has held a health fair once a year, with last year’s in October. A change this year is that the hospital will be offering smaller, more specific health fairs multiple times a year.
Hutches said their goal is to have one at MMH before the end of 2019, with others to be scheduled in 2020. For example, a men’s night will include prostate information, while a women’s night will include obstetrics, gynecology and mammography. Medicare info will be highlighted at senior health fairs. All of them will include topics like mental health, diabetes and colonoscopies.
Flu shots are Oct. 8 and 10
The annual community flu shot clinic is set for Tuesday, Oct. 8, and Thursday, Oct. 10, from 5-6:30 p.m. at SunSet View Community Center, 330 W. Kellogg St., Holyoke.
Community members are encouraged to take advantage of the low-cost shots before flu season ramps up.
Medicare patients should bring their card with them to get the shot free of charge.