Final Instalment
Submitted by June Crandall, Contributing Author
I ended Part 5 by promising to talk about gaining support from higher-level community leaders. As the day approached for the first Screening Clinic, the team rationalized the need to advertise and to assure that key area community leaders endorsed the initiative. We agreed to create posters, Facebook postings, and place articles in the Local News and Views (the community newspaper). I reached out to MLA for Sussex-Three Rivers, Tammy Scott-Wallace, MP for Fundy Royal, Robert Moore, the Community of Three Rivers Mayor, Peter Saunders, and Sherry Wilson, MLA for Albert-Riverview Riding.
The Elgin Seniors Center was chosen as the best location for the clinics because the building remains open all year round, it has washroom facilities, storage for clinic equipment, a full kitchen, an open space to set up the privacy walls, and room for individuals waiting to be screened.
I ended Part 5 by promising to talk about gaining support from higher-level community leaders. As the day approached for the first Screening Clinic, the team rationalized the need to advertise and to assure that key area community leaders endorsed the initiative. We agreed to create posters, Facebook postings, and place articles in the Local News and Views (the community newspaper). I reached out to MLA for Sussex-Three Rivers, Tammy Scott-Wallace, MP for Fundy Royal, Robert Moore, the Community of Three Rivers Mayor, Peter Saunders, and Sherry Wilson, MLA for Albert-Riverview Riding.
The Elgin Seniors Center was chosen as the best location for the clinics because the building remains open all year round, it has washroom facilities, storage for clinic equipment, a full kitchen, an open space to set up the privacy walls, and room for individuals waiting to be screened.
The first Screening clinic was scheduled for January 24, 2024. Ten student nurses from the UNB Nursing Program were identified to perform the health screenings. Mary-Lee Gilliss, RN, BN, MN and Teaching Professor at the UNB Moncton Campus, would be overseeing their work at the clinics. The Community Developers (mentioned in previous articles) rounded up individuals to provide support at the clinics with other community resources that community members may need such as mental health, etc. Moreover, Ms. Scott-Wallace, Mr. Moore, Mr. Saunders, and Ms. Wilson all agreed that attending the launch of this first clinic would send very positive messages to the community and to Horizon Health Network.
The multiple Facebook postings, word of mouth, posters and articles in the local paper paid off. Clinic day began in a flurry of activities to set up the room at the Elgin Seniors Center with privacy walls and equipment such as tables and chairs provided by the Seniors Center. Set up was critical to assure “patient” privacy as well as having adequate space for “patients” waiting to be screened. The first clinic day served about 40 individuals from Elgin, Petitcodiac and the surrounding areas. Find the full article on Horizon Health Network page under Horizon Stories: horizonnb.ca/horizon-stories
The next two clinics were scheduled for February and March of 2024. As I stated in a previous article, we collected satisfaction data from the clinic attendees for the three months. The survey data collected during these three clinics was compiled in a summary report. Please feel free to contact me for a copy of the full report. Briefly, the total number of screenings done over the course of the clinics as 113. We are exceedingly pleased to report that 100% of the individuals screened reported that they would attend the clinic again. With that encouraging information, Horizon Health approved holding the clinics again. To date, we have held a fall clinic (October, November and December of 2024) where services were expanded to offer flu and Covid shots (at no cost) for individuals requesting them as well as respiratory assessments and foot health assessments. Of note, one of the most requested services identified in the satisfaction survey data was a Foot Care Clinic. Happily, a foot care clinic has now been established in Elgin on a regular basis with 10 to 15 clients attending regularly.
We are now into the spring health clinics where attendance continues to be brisk. The community is immensely appreciative of the clinics. Some have stated that, even though they have a regular provider, being able to keep track of basic health assessments such as blood glucose and blood pressure without the stress of appointments is extremely important and helpful.
I conclude this series by reporting that the Adult Health Screening Clinics have expanded to the communities of Havelock and Sussex. Additionally, with each iteration of the clinics, we consider other free services that can be added and how can we better serve the community.
I have used an old proverb for a good portion of my life when considering a new venture…” nothing ventured, nothing gained.” There is no success unless you try. I am happy to chat with anyone who would like to set up this kind of screening clinic in your community.
The multiple Facebook postings, word of mouth, posters and articles in the local paper paid off. Clinic day began in a flurry of activities to set up the room at the Elgin Seniors Center with privacy walls and equipment such as tables and chairs provided by the Seniors Center. Set up was critical to assure “patient” privacy as well as having adequate space for “patients” waiting to be screened. The first clinic day served about 40 individuals from Elgin, Petitcodiac and the surrounding areas. Find the full article on Horizon Health Network page under Horizon Stories: horizonnb.ca/horizon-stories
The next two clinics were scheduled for February and March of 2024. As I stated in a previous article, we collected satisfaction data from the clinic attendees for the three months. The survey data collected during these three clinics was compiled in a summary report. Please feel free to contact me for a copy of the full report. Briefly, the total number of screenings done over the course of the clinics as 113. We are exceedingly pleased to report that 100% of the individuals screened reported that they would attend the clinic again. With that encouraging information, Horizon Health approved holding the clinics again. To date, we have held a fall clinic (October, November and December of 2024) where services were expanded to offer flu and Covid shots (at no cost) for individuals requesting them as well as respiratory assessments and foot health assessments. Of note, one of the most requested services identified in the satisfaction survey data was a Foot Care Clinic. Happily, a foot care clinic has now been established in Elgin on a regular basis with 10 to 15 clients attending regularly.
We are now into the spring health clinics where attendance continues to be brisk. The community is immensely appreciative of the clinics. Some have stated that, even though they have a regular provider, being able to keep track of basic health assessments such as blood glucose and blood pressure without the stress of appointments is extremely important and helpful.
I conclude this series by reporting that the Adult Health Screening Clinics have expanded to the communities of Havelock and Sussex. Additionally, with each iteration of the clinics, we consider other free services that can be added and how can we better serve the community.
I have used an old proverb for a good portion of my life when considering a new venture…” nothing ventured, nothing gained.” There is no success unless you try. I am happy to chat with anyone who would like to set up this kind of screening clinic in your community.
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