Senator Hanger Receives Award in Recognition of Support for Community Health Centers

In a brief ceremony this morning at Harrisonburg Community Health Center (HCHC), Senator Emmett W. Hanger, Jr. received an award for his support of community health centers across Virginia. The award was presented to him by HCHC Staff and the Virginia Community Health Care Association, on behalf of community health centers across Virginia.
The Association, representing community health centers across the state, chose Senator Hanger because of his work in support of community health centers and other safety net providers. “Senator Hanger has consistently supported the work of community health centers and other safety net providers to meet the healthcare needs of Virginians, particularly in our rural areas like the Shenandoah Valley,” noted Christopher Nye, CEO of the HCHC.
Although most funding for community health centers comes from donations, federal grants to provide services, and payments for services from insurers and Medicaid, Virginia provides some support for community health centers and other safety net providers to meet critical needs, such as medication assistance and access to healthcare for the poor.
By providing these services, health care costs are reduced, with access to medications helping to better manage chronic conditions, such as asthma, diabetes, and high blood pressure. “Using these funds to help those most at risk actually helps communities reduce the cost of care and unnecessary use of emergency rooms in our communities”, said Rick Shinn, Director of Government Affairs for the Virginia Community Health Care Association.
The HCHC is located in Senator Hanger’s District and was founded by members of the community to meet the primary care needs children, adults, and families in need of a medical home. Over 100 Community Health Centers like the Harrisonburg Community Health Center can be found across Virginia where access to primary care is a challenge. Community health centers are established by communities to insure that access to healthcare services are available to everyone by accepting all forms of insurance and by offering different payment options for the uninsured. Currently, more than 300,000 Virginians rely on their local community health center for primary care services.

Stay Flu Free

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It is no secret that flu season is upon us and many are taking the necessary precautions, such as getting flu shots, to ensure that they stay healthy. The Kleenex® website offers some easy and useful tips on how to stay flu free!

1.     Wash your hands often-give them a good 20 seconds

2.     Get immunized

3.     Always try and use a tissue

4.     Cough or sneeze into your elbow

5.     Throw away used tissues

6.     Always try and get enough sleep (7 hours)

7.     Stay hydrated

8.     Never skip breakfast

9.     Stay home if you feel or are sick and avoid those who are

10. Exercise, eat right and stay active

For more details on these tips please visit this website: http://www.kleenex.com/ColdAndFluTips.aspx

 

The Flu and the common cold can often be confused. How do you know when you are facing symptoms of the flu versus the common cold? The flu is different from a cold. The flu usually comes on suddenly. People who have the flu often feel some or all of these symptoms:

1.     Fever* or feeling feverish/chills

2.     Cough

3.     Sore throat

4.     Runny or stuffy nose

5.     Muscle or body aches

6.     Headaches

7.     Fatigue (tiredness)

8.     Some people may have vomiting and diarrhea, though this is more common in children than adults.

* It's important to note that not everyone with flu will have a fever. For more information- http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/disease/symptoms.htm

 

Make sure to research online and find where you can get your flu vaccination today! The CDC Seasonal (flu) Influenza informational site offers great additional advice, tips and answers on everything that deals with the flu! Please visit their website here to find all of the information you’ll  need: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/index.htm

HCHC and RMH Partner Up for Breast Cancer

 October is a month where many come together and bring awareness to Breast Cancer and all of those who have been and are affected by it. The Harrisonburg Community Health Center and the Rockingham Memorial Hospital partnered up on Saturday October 6, 2012 to give back and help move forward!

On October 6, the RMH mobile unit made appointments to HCHC patients for free mammograms. It was a fabulous success as 19 women were able to receive the service.  It was such a great experience that the RMH mobile unit is looking forward to another day of free mammograms in the spring! 

Rockingham Memorial Hospital’s mobile unit is “the first mobile unit in the nation to be equipped with the full-field GE digital mammography unit” (RMH Breast Care).  A mammogram is an x-ray picture of the breast. This mobile service is able to come out to neighborhoods, churches, and events to help promote education and safety about breast cancer. A schedule can be found here.

 Please visit the link below to the RMH Breast Care webpage to learn more about breast cancer and the services being offered within the community.  The site also provides a quiz: How much do you know about breast cancer? Rockingham Memorial Hospital Breast Care

The New Era of the HCHC

The Harrisonburg Community Health Center that you’ve grown to love since 2008 has moved to its new facility that will be loved even more! Long gone are the days of crowded waiting rooms, cramped offices and over flowing parking lots as the new era of the Harrisonburg Health Center begins. 

With this new beginning come fresh services, accommodations and opportunities. The spacious 21,000 square foot center looks like home on the outside and feels like home with the wonderful staff and amenities on the inside. Providing quality to the Harrisonburg community is the main priority of the Health Center and the new facility is doing just that!

They have taken the eight examination rooms from the previous building and doubled them to sixteen in the new one.  Another thing the new center has done is created a safe and secure waiting environment that will separate well and sick patients to ensure the health of everyone. One of the more fascinating opportunities of the new center will be its inclusion of dental services, which just opened. They will also continue incorporating disease prevention and management and telecommunication technologies in their service.

The Harrisonburg Community Health Center is a leading provider of quality healthcare and their commitment to that is evident in their new building. The future of healthcare in the community is taking off as the new era of the Harrisonburg Community Health Center begins! Take a look at the map below to see the location of the new facility. Please visit our website for additional information and appointments http://hburgchc.org/wp/.

1380 Little Sorrel Drive, Suite 100
Harrisonburg, VA 22801

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Treating Bug Bites

Summer usually means more time spent outdoors, and time outdoors often leads to mosquito bites, along with other sorts of bug bites. Here are a few helpful tips to avoid getting bit by these bugs.

Avoiding Tick Bites

• Wear light-colored long pants, so it’s easier to spot ticks.
• Tuck your pants into your socks or high-top boots or tape them to boots.
• Wear a hat and long-sleeved shirt, tucked in.
• Spray or rub insect repellent on the tops of boots, exposed area of socks, and pants openings (inside cuffs, waistband, and fly).
• Use insect repellant with DEET on your exposed skin.
• If your pets go outside, check them regularly for ticks so they don't bring them in the house.

Avoiding Mosquito Bites

• Use screens on windows and doors. Close off any small gaps or openings around screen doors or window screens.
• Stay indoors when mosquitoes are out and biting -- usually between dusk and dawn.
• Wear light, loose-fitting clothing

Avoiding Spider Bites

To protect against spider bites, wear gloves, long sleeves, and long pants when working in areas where they like to hide. Watch where you put your hands and shake off clothing before you put it on or go inside.

Indoors, sweep, mop, or vacuum webs and spiders regularly. In attics, basements, and garages, place boxes off the floor and away from walls and tape them closed.  Seal off cracks and gaps where spiders may enter your home to discourage them and their prey. Clean up clutter and trim growth near the house.

Strickman advises against routinely spraying your house for spiders. Spiders are helpful, he points out -- eating flies and even fleas. It’s usually just as effective to clean out the webs and kill the spiders you see.

Using Bug Spray Safely

To use insect repellents safely, follow these 10 tips:

• Always follow the directions on the product.
• Use bug spray when you are going outside. Apply it sparingly, but be sure to cover all exposed skin. Do not spray under clothing.
• Do not spray aerosol or pump products in enclosed areas.
• Do not spray directly on your face. Spray your hands and then rub them carefully over your face, avoiding your eyes and mouth. Use sparingly around the ears.
• Avoid applying products with more than 50% DEET.
• Minimize use of insect repellents if you are pregnant and nursing.
• Never use repellents on wounds or irritated skin.
• Wash skin after coming indoors.
• If you think you have an allergic reaction to insect repellent, wash your skin and call your doctor.
• If bug spray gets into your eyes, flush them with cold water immediately.

Follow these additional tips when using insect repellents on children:

• Apply it to your hands and rub it on your child, instead of spraying.
• Don't apply repellents to parts of children's hands that are likely to have contact with eyes or mouth.
• Do not apply products with DEET to children more than once a day.
• Do not use combined repellent-sunscreen products.

For more information, visit http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/wound-care-10/bugbites?page=1

Tips for Reducing Stress

Let's be honest, we all get stressed out at least occasionally. Work, children, finances, etc. all add up to create stress. But is it all really necessary? Here are some tips to help you relieve stress in your life:

• Accept that there are events you can't control
• Keep a positive attitude. Instead of looking at the negatives (I'll never finish this paperwork!), keep a positive outlook (I'm doing my best, I will do as much as I can.)
• If you feel stressed, take a walk or do something else to get your mind off of it.
• Manage your time wisely, leave yourself a few extra minutes between tasks
• Do things that you like to do, like gardening or reading
• Take a few minutes each day to just sit quietly and reflect
• Exercise regularly
• Avoid alcohol, and don't smoke (or try to quit)
• Eat healthy, balanced meals
• Get enough rest and sleep
• Seek out social support

Reducing Stress Tips

Dangers of Secondhand Smoke

Do you ever wonder what secondhand smoke is and what it means for your health? Here are some key points to remember about secondhand smoke:

• Secondhand smoke (also called environmental tobacco smoke, involuntary smoke, and passive smoke) is the smoke given off by a burning tobacco product and the smoke exhaled by a smoker.
• At least 69 chemicals in secondhand smoke are known to cause cancer.
• Secondhand smoke causes lung cancer in nonsmokers.
• Secondhand smoke has also been associated with heart disease in adults and sudden infant death syndrome, ear infections, and asthma attacks in children.
• There is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke.

To read further information about secondhand smoke, please visit http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Tobacco/ETS.