National and James River construction to close lanes beginning October 1

The Missouri Department of Transportation has announced that one northbound and one southbound lane of National Avenue on the bridge over James River Freeway will be closed during daytime hours beginning Thursday, Oct. 1, and lasting into the week of Oct. 5.

Crews will begin removing a concrete median down the center of the bridge.

Crews will close the lanes between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Oct. 1-2.

The outside through lane will be open in each direction and a very short left-turn lane will be available for National Avenue drivers who need to access James River Freeway. Driving delays are expected during the work.

No work is planned over the weekend and all lanes on National Avenue will be open to traffic.
However, on Monday, Oct. 5, crews will resume work on the National Avenue bridge. Each day through the week, a lane in each direction on the National Avenue bridge will be closed during the day.

Weather and/or construction delays will alter the work schedule.

Starting the week of Oct. 19, more extensive work is scheduled to begin on the project.

That’s when long-term lane closings and traffic shifts will be needed on National Avenue between Bradford Parkway north of the bridge and Kingsley Street south of the bridge over the James River Freeway.

Drivers can expect slow-moving traffic with delays getting through the work zone, with workers and equipment set up close to traffic.

CoxHealth takes first place in contest encouraging biking, walking to work

CoxHealth has won first place for a second year in a row in the 2009 Bike, Bus, Walk to Work Week Challenge sponsored by Ozark Greenways.

The Cox Fitness Centers (represented by group exercise coordinator Sheryl Deboer, right) accepted the BBWW trophy recently. Cox won in the large-size business category for having the most participants in this year’s challenge.

Ozark Greenways says more than 90 businesses and schools participated in the challenge to use bicycles, the city bus, walking and carpooling as transportation to and from work or school.
Fitness Centers director Chris Flouer says he’s proud that so many Cox employees found other ways to get to work besides driving a car.

“This shows we are not only a leader in health care, but we are leaders in our community,” says Flouer.

Screenings determine your risk for osteoporosis

Next year, studies estimate more than 52 million U.S. men and women aged 50 or older will suffer from osteoporosis and low bone mass. The majority may never know until they suffer a fracture from a minor fall, or in advanced cases from a sneeze or even spontaneously.

CoxHealth can help you determine your risk for osteoporosis at an osteoporosis screening, sponsored by The Women’s Center at CoxHealth Friday, Sept. 18. People found to be at an increased risk of osteoporosis can also get a bone density screening for the low fee of $25.

“Screenings for osteoporosis are important to prevention and early detection,” says Patti Roper, RN, CDT osteoporosis nurse educator. “For most people, osteoporosis is a preventable disease if they do the right things, such as getting the recommended daily amount of calcium, doing weight-bearing exercises and not smoking. For those who don’t get screened and take other preventative measures, osteoporosis can be a painful and life-changing disease.”

Screenings are for those ages 21 and older. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 269-LADY. Screenings will be held in Suite 110 of the Turner Center, 1000 E. Primrose.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

"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