A San Antonio nonprofit is a free neighborhood health clinic Saturday on the West Side.
The clinic, which is being held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Faith Based Institute at 251 Altitude St., will give residents a chance to get their vitals checked, offer screenings and provide health information at no cost. It’s being hosted by Health Collaborative, a San Antonio-based nonprofit dedicated to improving health outcomes in Bexar County and South Texas
Elizabeth Lutz, the organization’s executive director, said everyone is welcome to “just show up” and that no documents or identifications are necessary. However, having insurance information can be helpful for working out “next steps” for participants, she said.
The nonprofit regularly offers free Pathways to Health neighborhood health clinics at various locations. This weekend’s clinic will offer checks on basic vitals like blood pressure, height, weight and body mass index; A1C tests for diabetes; prescription refills for those who cannot afford them; hearing screens by Audio Nova, a provider of hearing aids; and oral health assessments, Lutz said.
Full dental health exams and mammograms will not be available at this clinic but will be available at the next one on July 18. But residents who attend this weekend’s event can preregister for a mammogram and get an appointment with the Health Collaborative’s partners free of cost.
Lutz encourages those who have health coverage by Humana, Aetna and Community First Health Plans to come to the clinic and get more information about what their plans offer, register for retinal scans and order colonoscopy kits to be sent to their home. Those three providers will have representatives at the event providing consultations so that members can “truly figure out what their plan covers,” she said.
For those who do not have insurance, Health Collaborative also will have its healthcare navigators available to help them find an insurance plan.
“A healthcare worker will accompany the individuals through every part of the clinic,” Lutz said. “There is a journey behind everyone’s needs, and that’s what the community healthcare workers are helping with,” she said.
The Greater YMCA of San Antonio also will have representatives at the clinic to provide information and consultations with families regarding mental health for all ages.
The next clinics are set for July 18 at Life Choices Medical Clinic at 3234 Northwestern Drive on the West Side; Aug. 8 at Kingdom Healthcare System at 4025 E. Southcross Blvd., Building 1, Suite 5 on the Southeast Side; Oct. 4 at Greater New Birth Church of Christ at 1719 Burleson St. on the East Side; and Nov. 4 at Life Choices again. They all will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Lutz said more events may happen between these, but they will not be clinics. The Health Collaborative’s website has information on upcoming programming.
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This article originally published at Nonprofit offering free health clinic this weekend in San Antonio. Here’s what you need to know..