Monday, August 31, 2009

CoxHealth offers advance directives clinic

Have you ever wondered who would make decisions for you if you were injured or became ill and couldn’t do so for yourself? If so, now is the time to take action.

The public is invited to an Advance Directives Clinic, 3-4:30 p.m., Sept. 14, in Conference Room C at the Meyer Center, 3545 S. National. This free clinic is for those who want to learn about and complete advance directives such as living wills and durable powers of attorney for health care decisions.

Notary service will be provided. Call 269-3616 to register or for more information.

Second Springfield location of The Clinic at Walmart opens today

The Clinic at Walmart operated by CoxHealth, located inside the Walmart Supercenter at 2021 E. Independence in Springfield, opens today.

The clinic offers fast, affordable access to basic health care services such as check-ups, immunizations, screenings and treatment of minor injuries for patients at least 18 months old. Extended and weekend hours (Monday – Saturday, 10 a.m. – 7 p.m., and Sunday 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.) offer area residents a convenient, reasonably priced alternative to emergency departments and urgent care clinics when only routine care is needed. No appointment is necessary.

CoxHealth network affiliated insurances, Medicare, Medicaid, cash, check, and credit or debit cards are accepted.

The clinic is the fourth location of The Clinic at Walmart operated by CoxHealth, and the second location in Springfield. For a full list of clinics, visit www.coxhealth.com. Additional locations are planned for later this year.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Recipies for healthy back-to-school breakfasts

Healthy minds need healthy bodies. While this time of year brings groans from kids wishing the summer had never ended, www.coxhealth.com gives moms and dads lots of ideas to get the school day started right with six delicious, healthy breakfast recipes.

Smart Foods
Omega-3 fatty acids, found in fish, nuts and some plant oils have been linked to increased brain function in seniors and infants. According to the America Heart Association, omega-3 fatty acids also help prevent cardiovascular disease. But how can you get your family to eat fish in the morning before school or work? Our Smoked Salmon Breakfast Bruschetta video gives step-by-step instructions on how to make a yummy scrambled egg sandwich all ages will love. It contains just 195 calories but is loaded with whole grains and protein that will keep your family full all the way until lunch. Just log on to www.coxhealth.com and click on the Health eCooking link.

Healthy Versions of Old Favorites
For more traditional fare, five additional recipes this month give healthy variations of tried-and-true breakfast favorites. Our Low-Fat Blueberry Muffins bake up fluffy and light with just 32 milligrams of cholesterol and one gram of saturated fat. Our Peanut Butter and Jelly muffins provide a portable version of a kids’ favorite meal. Green Tea Smoothie, Pecan Coffee Cake and Pumpkin Waffle recipes round out the healthy breakfast offerings featured this month.

All Health eCooking recipes are approved by registered dieticians and tested by professional chefs. Recipes include tips for healthy baking and cooking and contain verified nutritional values. Our database provides a wide range of options for those in search of heart healthy, gluten free or diabetic recipes. So get your day off to a healthy start and find hundreds of other healthy recipes at www.coxhealth.com.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Parents can learn real-world parenting strategies

CoxHealth presents a new series of parenting classes, “Parenting Strategies for the Real World.” Classes are held on Thursdays, 6:30-7:30 p.m., in Classroom C300 at Cox North, 1423 N. Jefferson Ave.

The classes, presented by parent educator Tony Massey, will cover tactics for parenting elementary-, middle- and high school-aged children. Techniques to manage problematic behaviors including power struggles, bullying, drug use, fighting and more will be covered.

There is no fee or registration required for this class. For more information, call 269-3275.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Clinics offer alternative for athletes injured in Friday night play


CoxHealth and Ferrell-Duncan Clinic are again offering Friday Night Clinics to all area high school athletes with sports-related injuries, beginning Friday, Aug. 21 at 9 p.m. The clinics offer an alternative to crowded emergency rooms when care is needed for a non-emergent injury sustained during play.

The clinics will be held in The Bone and Joint Center, 3555 S. National, Suite 200, in Springfield. Each Friday Night Clinic team is led by an orthopedic surgeon and includes a nurse, certified athletic trainer, radiology tech and clerical staff. Minor radiology exams are also available on-site to assist the physician with patient evaluation.

Insurance claims will be filed. Coaches and athletic trainers can refer an athlete to the clinic by calling 417-269-7778. The final sports injury clinic of the season will be Thursday, Oct. 29 at 9 p.m.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Doctors to discuss women’s midlife issues

The Women’s Center at CoxHealth invites area women to “Women’s Midlife – It’s Not a Crisis,” a physician panel discussion about a variety of women’s midlife topics and issues 5:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 27.

The physicians will discuss menopause, incontinence, robotic surgery options, cosmetic procedures, varicose veins and more. A light dinner will be served, and varicose vein and Achilles bone density screenings will be offered from 4-5:30 p.m.

The program will be held in Foster Auditorium at Cox South, 3801
S. National. There is a $15 fee. For more information and to register, call
269-LADY.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

"Clinic at Walmart" opens this month in Independence Supercenter


Today, Walmart and CoxHealth announced a fourth location of “The Clinic at Walmart” operated by CoxHealth, to be located in the Independence Walmart supercenter, 2021 E. Independence, in Springfield. This convenient care clinic will open Monday, Aug. 31. The clinic will offer the same fast, affordable access to basic health care services available at all other locations, and will be the second location in Springfield.

Amy Lea, director of clinics for CoxHealth Regional Services, says all clinic locations have remained busy this summer with patients seeking treatment for outdoor injuries and minor bug bites. “We’re also seeing a demand for sports physicals as families get ready for the fall sports season,” she said.

The clinics serve as an alternative for people at least 18 months old who are sick enough to need care, but aren’t sick enough to need the level of care available in an emergency department or urgent care clinic. The clinics are also an affordable option for patients who might otherwise postpone or avoid care because they lack insurance or have concerns about the cost.

The clinics offer upfront pricing and prompt access to acute and preventive care for common health ailments treatable without urgent or emergency care, including sore throats, sinus infections, upper respiratory infections, earaches, bladder infections, insect bites and stings, cholesterol screening, blood sugar testing, vaccinations, drug screening and routine physicals. Clinics offer walk-in service seven days a week and evening hours.

Walmart has 37 in-store clinics in ten states. For further information about “The Clinic at Walmart”, please visit www.walmart.com/clinics. For more information about CoxHealth, please visit www.coxhealth.com

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Mark your place in Cox history with ED brick project


Want to make a statement that will stand the test of time? Employees and the community have a chance to be part of the construction of the new Emergency Department through a fundraiser offered by the CoxHealth Foundation.

Donors will be able to sponsor one of 2,200 bricks that will be used in a pathway in the ED garden. The bricks will be engraved with up to three lines of text, such as names, special messages, remembrances or favorite sayings.

The purchasers of the first 500 bricks will receive a second brick for free - give it as a gift, remember another special occasion, honor a parent or grandparent, put the grandkids' names out for all to see! It's your choice.

Each brick costs $100 and payroll deduction is available in $25 increments for employees. Donors will also receive a miniature brick as a keepsake of their donation.
Proceeds from the fundraiser will support grants for patients who cannot afford care through the Foundation’s Good Samaritan Fund, which helps provide financial grants for patients to the ER who cannot afford their care.
For more information, call 269-7150.

Monday, August 3, 2009

No baby handbook? Try BabySense


Having a new baby in the house can be an exciting time, but it also brings plenty of new duties and responsibilities. And as the saying goes, babies don’t come with a manual. As part of an ongoing commitment to families, CoxHealth will offer the popular “BabySense” class twice in August:

• 6:30-8:30 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 12
• 6:30-8:30 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 26

Hosted by the CoxHealth Women’s Center, BabySense is led by an experienced childbirth educator and is geared toward expectant moms and dads, to help them prepare for the changes a newborn brings.

The class teaches parents how to meet the everyday needs of their child. The course covers the basics of baby care and addresses many safety issues, ranging from baby-proofing your home, to car seat and sleep safety. Parents are also coached on handling crying and offering comfort to their infants, selecting childcare and more.

BabySense is open to the public, but registration is required. There is a $20 fee. Class will be held in suite 130 of the Turner Center, 1000 E. Primrose. For more information or to register, call 269-LADY.

'Basic training' for fathers-to-be


There may not be a manual that tells you how to be a father, but the CoxHealth Women’s Center offers the next best thing – “Fatherhood: Basic Training.”

For men only, and presented by a seasoned father and professional, this class will cover topics including what it means to become a father, birth and bonding, caring for mom and baby, and more. A question and answer session will also be included.

Nancy Bolduc, director of The Women’s Center, says, “This is an informal discussion between an experienced father, and fathers-to-be. Having a baby is a life-changing event, and we want fathers to be as prepared as possible, and to understand how important they are.”

The next “Fatherhood: Basic Training” class will be held 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 11, in Cafeteria Meeting Rooms A and B at Cox South, 3801 S. National. There is a $20 fee. Call 269-INFO to register.

Expert to explain links between genetics, cancer

Science has proven there is a link between our genetic make-up and our risk for disease – especially cancer. You can learn more about genetics in cancer treatment and the process of genetic testing by attending “Genetics and Cancer,” a part of the Hulston Cancer Center Educational Series.

During this program, CoxHealth genetic counselor Mary Owen will discuss how your genes play a role in cancer formation, hereditary breast cancer and colorectal cancer syndromes. She will also cover why hereditary cancer syndromes predispose you to different types of the disease.

“Genetics and Cancer” will be held 10-11 a.m., Thursday, Aug. 13, in Suite 120 of Hulston Cancer Center, 3850 S. National. For more information or to register, call 269-5257.