Humana opens health & well-being centers

Humana green logoAttaining good health has become much more convenient for San Antonio-area residents with the opening of a Humana Health & Well-Being Center at two San Antonio Walmart locations – one at 1200 S.E. Military Drive and the other at 6703 Leslie Road.

Visitors to the centers can take advantage of a variety of health education resources. To help people continue to learn, the Humana Health & Well-Being Centers feature seminars and educational sessions that aim to keep brains and bodies fit, regardless of age. Community members can learn tips on monitoring diabetes, the importance of eye health, how to keep allergies under control and other topics that provide tools and information to make effective decisions about health and well-being.  Seminars run the gamut from healthy food and nutrition to lifestyle topics, such as how to keep the kitchen organized or how to use a tablet computer. A calendar of daily demonstrations is available free at each of the center locations.

The Health and Well-Being Centers offer adults of all ages a place to socialize and learn about ways to achieve lifelong well-being. Socially-connected adults are three times as likely to report very good or excellent health. Additional research supports that people with a strong social network have less stress and typically feel a greater sense of self-esteem. As a result, they take better care of themselves by adopting a healthy lifestyle. Among various activities available to local residents, the centers host live social events such as crafting for a cause, crafts for kids, planting 101, family fun, home budgeting and organization.

Walking programs provide the opportunity to join instructor-led groups to learn proper walking and stretching techniques while socializing with each other. The centers host a group of walkers, every Tuesday and Thursday, at 9 a.m. at Military Dr. and every Monday and Friday at 9 a.m. at Leslie Road, who walk inside the store. Participants even receive pedometers after they complete their first walk, helping them track their steps and calories burned.

Humana members can even speak in private with a customer service representative live through video chat via a computer. As an added bonus, some associates are bilingual in English and Spanish, allowing the centers to efficiently serve residents of Hispanic and Latino origin, who make up roughly two-thirds of the San Antonio population.

In addition, “The doctor will see you now” takes on a new, high-tech meaning at the Humana Health & Well-Being Center with its telemedicine suite. Patients who visit the center use the latest audio and video technology to speak directly to a Concentra physician who evaluates, diagnoses and treats their medical condition (prescriptions can be phoned in to the pharmacy at the Walmart location or to a pharmacy of the patient’s choice). Patients are assisted by an on-site medical professional during their visit. Telemedicine has been touted as a way to improve access to health care and is currently used in 34 percent of U.S. health centers.

Consults available include nurse visits such as health screenings and immunizations and urgent care services for such health issues as ear/eye infections, sore throats and sinus infections, allergies, stomach ailments, rashes and pain such as to a knee or lower back. Point of care tests for flu, strep or mono, administration of steroid, allergy or antibiotic shots and specimen collection and interpretation of tests sent to a laboratory can also be accomplished.

Visits would not include treating trauma beyond minor sprains and strains, conducting physical examinations or evaluating wound care or medical procedures of any kind (elective, excisions, foreign body removal, etc.).

These facilities serve as an excellent alternative for San Antonio residents – as well as all adults – to connect with each other and improve their overall health and well-being.

Weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth!

FFClinic logoBy now we are all so tired of healthcare issues that screaming is heard all over the city! But a louder scream is heard by those individuals who struggle every day with medical issues and do not have access to affordable health care.  In San Antonio, over 394,000 people hope and pray they never get sick because they do not have health insurance.

Faith Family Clinic provided medical care to over 7,500 people last year who did not have medical insurance. As a non-profit medical facility we have a mission to provide working families with affordable and compassionate medical care.  As a full service medical practice, we treat conditions that range from the flu and colds to major issues such as chronic care for diabetes and asthma as well as routine physicals and immunizations.

Our physicians are board certified and experienced in dealing with a wide array of health issues. We believe that the practice of medicine is NOT a business with the sole focus of profit and loss, but a service and ministry to hard working families who happen to work in their own business or a business that does not provide medical insurance.  While profit and loss is important it is not our driving force.  Compassionate care and the use of volunteers allow us to expand our capacity and do things that many doctors no longer attempt. An example is setting broken bones and doing minor surgical procedures in our offices that was once normal in many doctor’s offices.  Two such surgeons are Dr. David Person and Dr. Dilma Ruiz who provide exceptional care. Another is Dr. Coleman Driver and his wife Jody who provide ophthalmology care in our clinic.

We are proud to announce that at the end of 2013, the Baptist Health Foundation of San Antonio has awarded Faith Family Clinic a grant of $300,000 and the CHRISTUS Health Fund awarded us grant of $80,000. These resources will allow us to expand our capacity and care for the working uninsured.  It is through foundations and charitable giving that we are able to provide quality medical care to those who work hard but go without medical benefits.

Our Prescription for 2014 – a hefty dose of MemberCare! If you or your employees do not have health care benefits then you will want to consider becoming part of our MemberCare family for only $50 per month for yourself or $100 a month for the whole family. Our MemberCare participants will receive unlimited primary medical care at no additional cost.  Combine MemberCare with a high deductible health policy and your ObamaCare worries are gone!  Call 210-653-15611 today or email membercare@faithfamilyclinic.org for more information.