PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Northern Light AR Gould Hospital (formerly TAMC) will hold its annual Health Fair on Saturday, Oct. 20, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the gymnasium at Northern Maine Community College.
The event will feature screenings and information to help people take charge of their health.
“Our Health Fair is an opportunity for us to provide easy access to a wide range of valuable information to community members and free screenings that will help them be more aware of their own health,” said Greg LaFrancois, hospital president. “Providers from a number of our practices will be there to answer questions one-on-one.”
Free adult flu shots, including high-dose ones for adults age 65 or older, will once again be offered at the Health Fair. Other free screenings and assessments will include cholesterol, blood pressure, BMI/weight, pulse oximetry and stroke risk.
Staff will also help people enroll in the hospital’s patient portal, which allows patients to securely access their health information electronically. Patients can view their medical records, view lab and test results, request prescription renewals, receive reminders about their care, request to change an appointment, and securely email with their provider and healthcare team. To sign up, individuals will need a photo ID and an email address. For those with no email address, assistance will be available.
An addition to the Health Fair this year will be brief presentations led by hospital providers and professionals. A new presentation will begin each half hour, with a 15 minute talk on a topic followed by time for questions. Topics include the following:
10 a.m., Voice Therapy with speech therapist Jen Bryce, CCC-SLP.
10:30 a.m., Staying Active with provider Mary Coffin, FNP, CDE.
11 a.m., Taking Care of Your Heart with provider John Raymond, PA-C.
11:30 a.m., Hoarseness, Sinuses and Acid Reflux with provider Joseph Wilson, MD.
12 p.m., Living Well for Better Health with Karen Enman, RN, MSN.
“Educating people about their health is a priority for us,” said LaFrancois. “These presentations offer quick, easy access to information that empowers people with their health, while giving them the chance to talk with providers and other subject matter experts on a topic of importance to them.”
In addition to about 30 hospital booths, Northern Maine Community College senior nursing students will offer about a dozen informational booths. Nonprofit organizations will also share information about resources, including ACAP, AMHC Sexual Assault Services, Aroostook Council for Healthy Families, SAGE, and United Way of Aroostook.
Submitted by the Communications Office of Northern Light AR Gould Hospital.
