CMC Health Fair brings providers and patients together

Over the weekend, the County Event Center in Grace was the site of Caribou Medical Center’s annual Health Fair.  The Health Fair, which dates back at least as far as the Caribou Memorial Hospital days, is a designed to allow residents of the county and surrounding areas a chance to meet with providers from the hospital, obtain discounted lab services, and see the range of health care services offered by CMC.  In addition, a number of local vendors and service providers were also on hand. 

HR Assistant Hallie Monk was on site at 5:00 a.m. to start setting up, and noted that by the time they opened at 7:00 “there was a line clear to the door for labs!”

Michelle Argyle, patient navigator, was one of the first people visitors met when entering the Health Fair.  Argyle is a “patient navigator,” which is a position created to help guide patients through the health care process and coordinate between the potentially many providers that may be involved in a course of treatment.  She started with CMC as a floor nurse, and then moved into case management.  

“I work in case management in navigation.  When a primary care provider sends a referral out to a specialist, then that order comes to us and we call everyone and help them get scheduled and follow along to make sure they get what they need.  We answer questions, almost like their own personal nurse.  We can help them with almost anything in the hospital, and if we can’t we know who can, and we point them in the right direction.  We make sure things aren’t falling through the cracks, essentially.”

Patient Navigator Michelle Argyle

 The three navigators each work with the primary care provider and all of their patients. “That way, we are focused on that one doctor, and everybody they see,” Argyle said.

The Fair included services that most people are likely familiar with, or at least aware of, as well as a few that may be less obvious.

Shawna Morgan and Tiffany Taylor, for instance, are “swing bed coordinators.”  I am not ashamed to admit that I assumed this referred to some sort of amazing therapeutic bed that doubled as a recreation device, but it does not.  A “swing bed” is a bed which is set aside to serve the needs of patients in a variety of situations.  County hospitals are allowed a handful of beds each that they can designate as “swing beds” for the purposes of insurance billing.  “Usually it lasts from five to seven days.  It’s for strengthening, physical therapy, occupational therapy, IV antibiotics, more time to get stronger after surgery or need wound care,” Morgan said.

The bed is considered an in-patient bed with skilled nursing.  “We offer it in the hospital so they can stay there instead of somewhere else.”

“This kind of event is important to do locally, to make sure people know what is available right here in the area,” CMC CEO Kent Loosle said, by way of reiterating the point.  “It’s great to do it here in the community we serve.”  The Event Center made for a particularly good place to emphasize the local nature of CMC services, considering the upcoming Open House for the Grace Clinic, which is scheduled for July 13.  “We’re waiting until after the Fourth of July, but not too long after…” Loosle laughed.

Lab services were the focus of attention for many of the attendees at the Fair, and a range of panels were offered for discounted prices during the Fair.  Those prices will extend through May and can be obtained on site at the Hospital.  Comprehensive Health Profiles are $35, and include a range of health information that can be used to assess various health risks and provide insight into a person’s current state of health.  Additional services were offered as take-home-return tests or additional blood draw analysis.  

“Awesome morning!” Erika Dannelly, director of Development and Marketing said.  “This has been the perfect place for it.”

There were a number of other familiar faces the Fair, with a range of connections to local health care. 

Shari Moulton and Deena Garbett were on had with their healthier ice cream, a huge hit among guests.  The machine mixes fresh fruit directly into the desert on demand, and comes out perfectly.  “Sweets n Swirls” is a mobile endeavor at the moment, but the two are in the early stages of figuring out how to expand in the future.

Representative Mike Veile was joined by his wife Shelly and supporter Jackie Barthlome to discuss issues with voters.

County EMS was on hand to answer questions about emergency services in the county.

Jim and Tallan McCullouch were there to talk about Get Outside And Live, a non-profit located within the county that promotes healthy outdoor recreation.

Afton Marowelli and “Fresh Baked Sourdough” were on the scene with a range of baked goods and other items.

Soda Smiles, enHabit Home Health, Home Helpers, Southeastern Idaho Public Health, and many other representatives filled the morning with a lot of information for the flocks of visitors who made it to the Event Center.

The current economic and legislative landscape is one that is affecting rural hospitals like it is affecting all the other sectors of public life.  In coming months, we plan to look into how some of the larger environmental issues are likely to affect Caribou Medical Center directly.

As the first point of medical contact for many in the community, CMC serves an irreplaceable function within Caribou County.  Not only that, but it is also one of the largest employers in the area, and a fundamental pillar of the community.  There are few people in the area who don’t know someone who either works at the hospital or one of its clinics, or utilizes their services.

Hallie Monk captured the attitude of the employees at the Fair, with “CMC is a great place to work—amazing people.  I love it there!”