Date: Fri 04-Dec-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: JAN

Quick Words:

VNA-health-survey-Schmidle

Full Text:

Health Survey Respondents Would Like To See A Local Emergency Clinic

(with photo)

BY JAN HOWARD

Many respondents to a survey distributed by the Visiting Nurse Association of

Newtown have expressed the need for an emergency clinic in town.

According to VNA President Mae S. Schmidle, "The results of the survey were

astonishing."

She said the largest percentage of residents felt that emergency services,

especially on weekends, was the additional health service that was most

critically needed.

"We found this a very interesting result considering the proximity of Danbury

Hospital," she said. "We feel Danbury Hospital is close, but to a mother with

a sick child the ride to Danbury is an eternity.

"Since the VNA is dedicated to providing the best possible health services to

the residents of Newtown, this is certainly an area that the VNA will study

very carefully to determine how these additional services could be provided in

an efficient, effective and affordable way," she said.

Mrs Schmidle said about 25 percent of the respondents favored a facility that

would provide emergency services for conditions that require assistance but

are not serious enough for the hospital emergency room, especially when

doctors' offices are closed. These would include bee stings, minor injuries,

and less serious medical needs, such as having a nurse check a sick child.

Adult Care

The survey respondents also indicated interest in well-adult care as well as a

clinic that would charge nominal fees for people with no insurance.

Among the additional services requested were mammography, breast screenings,

skin cancer checks, sports physicals clinics, cost-free speech-language

screening for children, audiological screening for pre-schoolers, and

immunizations.

Also indicated in the responses was the need for additional help for the

elderly and the homebound and classes on parenting, wellness and stress

management.

Mrs Schmidle said the VNA will begin assessing the needs at its meeting this

week. A committee will be set up to establish priorities from the results of

the survey.

"We want to assess all our options," Mrs Schmidle said. "We want to be ahead

of the curve and provide what the needs of the community are. If we started a

new program, we would have to start slow and then add programs as we see how

the need is," she said.

Mrs Schmidle said some programs could be added soon, once the VNA Board of

Directors gives its approval and funding is available.

"On a limited basis, we could start some program by the beginning of the

year," she said.

She said Health District Director Mark Cooper has applied for grants that

could be used toward additional clinic services.

"Part of his budget should always go for public health promotion," she noted.

Mr Cooper said Tuesday that he has not as yet seen the survey and would like

to reserve comment until he has read it.

The VNA mailed the survey to all Newtown and Sandy Hook residents. About 10

percent of the surveys were returned.

"The VNA of Newtown was gathering information regarding the availability of

well-child health care in town, as well as to determine what other health

service needs our residents felt should be provided in town," Mrs Schmidle

explained.

"The concern is that Newtown should be able to provide a clinic, emergency and

otherwise, right here," she said.

She said some programs could be added soon, once the VNA Board of Directors

gives its approval and funding is available.

Mrs Schmidle noted that almost all survey respondents were interested in more

services of some kind.

"Many of the respondents had pre-school and elementary school children," she

said. "They are looking for support and help for mothers."

Mrs Schmidle said she will be working with Mr Cooper to extend the scope of

the VNA services.

The VNA and the Health District have been discussing extending the town's

well-child clinic into a well- person clinic. She said the clinic would be

preventative in nature, offering immunizations, such as for Hepatitis B, and

screenings as well as information on wellness and stress management.

She noted it would probably be possible for the clinic to charge less than

what a co-pay would be for a doctor's visit.

Sports Clinics

In addition to the VNA possibly offering an emergency clinic and well-person

services, Mrs Schmidle said it could also look into offering sports clinics,

one of the concerns raised by respondents.

"A clinic would help make sports affordable for kids," she said. "If you have

no insurance or a large co-pay, this could be a real blessing."

She said the cost of the sports clinic could be determined on a sliding scale

and possibly be offered free for people with no insurance or lower incomes.

The cost for increasing the VNA's services would not be large, according to

Mrs Schmidle. There would be no initial cost for clinic space because the VNA

could use two examination rooms at the multi-purpose center in Sandy Hook. One

room is soundproofed and could be used for audiological examinations.

There could be some additional cost in manning clinics, particularly if the

VNA were to have a doctor in attendance when new programs are initiated, Mrs

Schmidle said. Additional hours might be required for the nurse practitioner

and nurse already staffing the well-child clinic, particularly if the clinics

were offered evenings or Saturday mornings.

Mrs Schmidle said she will also talk to officials at Danbury Hospital and

local doctors regarding extension of health and medical services.

"If we had eight clinics a month, we could ask doctors to donate an hour or

two," she said. "It makes the medical community feel like part of the

community."

Mrs Schmidle said it is not uncommon for doctors to donate their time to local

health clinics.