Caring for the People of Northwest Alabama
Shoals Commnity Clinic
Health Clinic Program
The Health Clinic offers services in an outpatient setting under the supervision of a Medical Director and Certified Registered Nurse Practitioners. Patients readily have access to primary and preventative health care, diagnostic lab work, and assistance with needed medications and other resources.
Health Clinic Services
To Be Eligible for Services:
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Persons must be 18 – 64 years of age
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Employed, actively seeking employment (as verified from the employment office), or enrolled in school
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Without a regular healthcare provider and without healthcare benefits
Services Provided:
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General physical examinations
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Treatment of common illnesses and chronic diseases
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Women’s health (including gynecologic exams, clinical breast exams and referrals for mammography services)
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Patient education
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Preventive care
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Laboratory diagnostics
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Medication Assistance
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Diabetes Assistance
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Patient referrals for necessary care that exceeds our scope of practice
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Physicals for employment or school
Cost of Services & Operations:
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Health Clinic $20
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Diagnostic Lab-work: $15 per lab
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Medication Assistance Program: administrative fee $5 per month per prescription
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Diabetes Test Strips: $10 per box of 50
Hours of Operation:
Health Clinics are delivered three days per week by appointment. The Clinic is open for medical care on Monday, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., and Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (Summer hours may vary some from this schedule.)
Appointments can be made by calling the clinic at 256-760-4713. The clinic will usually also accept walk-ins.
Medication Assistance
PROJECT
PROJECT
Keeping working people healthy is the hallmark of the Health Clinic program. The clinic maintains a stock of medications for its patients for common illnesses. The clinic staff also administers a prescription medication program offered by the drug companies for the convenience of clinic patients. The clinic operates an e-prescribe program that lets us know the current costs of medications as well as specials programs and coupons offered at different pharmacies. Consultations with patients provide information and directions to the patients regarding proper use and duration of medications.
Heart disease is the number one cause of death in the US for adults. Worldwide 1 in 3 adults have high blood pressure. The Health Clinic provides patients with ongoing diagnostic testing and consultation including vital signs such as high blood pressure and heart rate, cholesterol level screening, thyroid exams, and blood sugar and diabetes management. Education materials are available to anyone for information on heart attack, stroke, quitting smoking and other health risks that can affect heart health. Healthcare professionals consult patients about preventative care such as medication directions, healthy diet, physical activity, avoiding tobacco, alcohol and harmful substances, and managing stress. Heart Healthy Diet and Nutrition and Exercise and Walking programs are offered to the general public.
Diabetes Assistance
PROJECT
Diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases in the US and numbers of those diagnosed increase each year. Many diabetics go undiagnosed until symptoms become more acute and more difficult to manage. The Shoals Community Clinic offers free screenings for this disease at health fairs. Clinic patients with diabetes are regularly tested (approximately every 3 months) to help them manage their blood sugar levels with proper medication and healthy lifestyle information on diet and exercise. To help its patients monitor their condition, the clinic provides low cost home testing strips and meters to assist patients to be in charge of their condition.
PROJECT
Over 100 Nursing Students receive first-hand experience in a clinical setting through the Shoals Community Clinic. Students shadow the Nurse Practitioners, provide vital signs exams with patients, and review charting exam results. Students come from both local and distant universities and community colleges, but the majority are from the University of North Alabama College of Nursing.
The clinic offers annual health fairs that are free to the public. The Catherine Barnes Women’s Health Fair is offered each spring for clinical exams, pap smear testing, and mammograms for women in the area who qualify for the Alabama Breast & Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program. In the fall the Annual Community Health Fair is open to the community for free screenings for blood pressure, cholesterol checks, diabetes, sight and hearing exams, and free vaccines such as flu shots, tetanus, and TB skin tests. Other health fair participation may be offered at various locations during the year as well.