March 1, 2013 Saint Peter's Healthcare System Community Calendar Featured Article.

On any given day of the week, a Community Mobile Health Services (CMHS) registered nurse from Saint Peter’s University Hospital can be found at a church, homeless shelter, worksite, senior center, school, or even the local mall. If members of the community can’t get to Saint Peter’s, CMHS brings Saint Peter’s to them, often delivering screenings and education aboard the 34-foot mobile unit the department operates on behalf of the hospital.

The department’s team, which includes physicians, registered nurses, advanced practice nurses and technicians, travels thousands of miles a year into communities throughout Middlesex and Somerset counties. CMHS has broadened its reach in recent years by partnering with health departments in Middlesex and Somerset counties to provide wellness programs to residents.

“We know that those we serve benefit from our health screenings because we follow up,” says Marge Drozd, MSN, RN, APRN-BC, director of Community Mobile Health Services. “When abnormal results are detected, our registered nurses refer patients to area physicians, healthcare facilities or wherever their medical home is.”

Last month Community Mobile Health Services was awarded a 2013 Community Outreach Award for Enhancing Access and Quality of Care to Reduce Disparities. Awarded to Saint Peter’s by the New Jersey Hospital Association’s Health Research and Educational Trust of New Jersey, the award recognized the Clergy Health Initiative, a wellness program for the priests of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Metuchen. In partnership with the Diocese, which serves as the sponsor of Saint Peter’s University Hospital, CMHS provided a health fair for priests at their annual retreat.

“The program gave Saint Peter’s the opportunity to offer care to those clergy who normally are busy caring for their flock,” says Drozd. “It led to many other health fair opportunities at various parishes within the Diocese.”

Health services included flu shots and cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar, body mass index, skin cancer and memory screenings provided by registered nurses. Individual consultations with registered dietitians, pharmacists, and physicians also were provided.

Having experienced first-hand the work of CMHS, the priests in turn requested that CMHS visit their parishes, leading to a larger outreach initiative that provided health screenings for many members and residents in the communities served by the churches.

In the past two years alone, Community Mobile Health Services has provided health education and screenings to 30,000 people at hundreds of sites. Since 2002, services provided have been funded partially by more than $800,000 in grants.

Services:

CMHS continues its outreach to all faithbased organizations, businesses, and civic groups in the community offering services which include:

• Blood pressure screenings
• Blood sugar screenings
• Breast health education
• Cholesterol screenings
• Hearing screenings
• Height, weight and body mass index measurements
• Immunization testing
• Osteoporosis screenings
• Prostate screenings
• Skin cancer screenings
• Stroke risk assessment screenings
• Sun damage screening using a DermaScan machine
• Vaccines
• Vision screenings

Call 732-745-8600, ext. 8903 or visit www.SaintPetersHCS.com/CMHS for more information about Community Mobile Health Services.