Essentia Health-Ada Clinic Hosts Community Health Fair

We all want to lead healthier lives.  Essentia Health-Ada Clinic is helping community members reach that goal by offering its annual Health and Wellness Fair. The event is from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26, at the clinic, 201 Ninth St. W. in Ada.

Each year, the Health Fair provides education and awareness to residents of Norman County and the surrounding area. Participants can learn about diabetes, cancer, bone density and fitness. Residents can stroll through informational booths and get a $25 blood screening, with all proceeds benefiting Essentia Health’s Bridges Foundation.

Pre-registration is encouraged for the blood screening. Call (218) 784-2727. Fasting at least eight hours before the blood screening is recommended for the most accurate results. The screenings include a complete blood count, a blood sugar test, a test for thyroid-stimulating hormone, a comprehensive metabolic panel and a prostate-specific antigen test.

Healthy habits start when we’re kids. This year, the Health Fair will promote physical activity for kids by featuring a performance by Just for Kix.  The group will perform at 10 a.m. and will lead a mini dance camp at 10:30 a.m. The fun is open to kids ages 3-8.  Participants in the dance camp will perform at 11 a.m. at the health fair.

The walk-in care at the Essentia Health-Ada Clinic will be closed on Saturday, Oct. 26, because of the Health Fair. 

Essentia Health-Ada Expands Therapy Services for Kids

Families in the Ada area will now be able to receive therapy services closer to home, allowing them to avoid a two- to three-hour round trip to Fargo for this type of care.  Essentia Health-Ada has expanded its physical, occupational and speech therapy services for children, thanks to new staff and a remodeled treatment space.

Two new providers have training in pediatrics and will be caring for kids: Kelsey Baker, a physical therapist, and Brittany Burke, a speech language pathologist.  Also, Mandi Wahlin, an occupational therapist, recently received additional pediatric training.

To make space for the new services, a registration and office area was converted to two treatment rooms.  That’s in addition to the current therapy gym.  The community is invited to see the new space during an open house event from 4:30-6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 24.

During the planning process, leaders at Essentia Health-Ada worked with the local school districts, which reported a great need for these services in the community.

“It’s something we’ve needed for a while,” says Erin Stoltman, director of rehabilitation at Essentia Health-Ada. “To now have staff who can focus on this and do it well – it’s a big win for the facility and the community.”

The pediatric therapy services can help children with a wide range of issues, including language and motor skills delays.  “It’s a different approach with kids,” Stoltman explains. “You need to have an understanding of where they are in their development.”

Stoltman says therapy services, when needed, can have a major impact on kids’ learning and growth. “With speech issues, if kids can’t communicate, it will affect their success at school.  From an OT and PT standpoint, therapy is needed to help kids be kids, to enjoy the things they want to do.”

Saturday Walk-in Clinic Resuming, Essentia Health Ada

Tuesday, September 04, 2012, Ada, MN – Just in time for the school season, Essentia Health Ada will resume the Saturday Walk-In Clinic, starting on September 8^th. Hours are 9am-noon every Saturday.

The purpose of the Walk-In Clinic is to offer convenient, non-emergent care when a patient can’t see his/her primary care provider. The Essentia Health Ada Clinic Saturday walk-in clinic will be open every Saturday from 9am-noon and will be staffed by a Physician or Mid-level provider. For patient ease, it is walk-in only, no appointments necessary.

Visit the walk-in clinic when you have a general non-emergency illness or injury such as:

Allergies                                Bladder Infections                           Bronchitis

Ear Infections                       Fever                                                  Abrasions

Laryngitis                              Pink Eye & Styes                             Respiratory Infections

Sinus Infections                   Strep Throat                                      Minor Injuries

Athletes Foot                       Cold Sores                                        Minor Rashes          

Minor Skin Infections          Minor Sunburn                                 Poison Ivy/Oak

Shingles                               Swimmer’s Itch                                Tick/Insect Bites      

Minor Lacerations               Fish Hooks

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For more information, please contact the Essentia Health Ada at 218-784-2727 or visit our blog at www.wereherewithyou.org.

Essentia Health Ada partnering with Norman County West School

Tuesday, February 28, 2012, Ada, MN – Essentia Health is excited to have the opportunity to partner with Norman County West School in Halstad, MN to offer athletic training to students through the Physical Therapy department of Essentia Health Ada.

Essentia Health’s Kristin Meinz, MSc, ATC has been working with Ada-Borup High School and Norman County East High as an athletic trainer since last fall. She has been providing the schools with additional awareness, education and training on concussion assessments for coaches and athletes – based on the ImPACT (Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing) evaluation system. Now Norman County West students will have access to Kristen’s services at the school 1 day per week. Student athletes are encouraged to visit with Kristen regarding injury recovery and prevention.

Meinz received her Master of Science in Sports Medicine from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs and was previously employed by Fountain Valley School of Colorado as well as Joseph Volleyball Inc in Colorado Springs as a Certified Athletic Trainer. She is a certified athletic trainer and a member of the National Athletic Trainer's Association.

Meinz is originally from St. Cloud, MN and most recently lived in Colorado Springs before relocating to this area in August of 2011. She enjoys reading, cooking/baking, running and is a big fan of the Minnesota Twins.

For more information, please contact the Essentia Health Ada at 218-784-2727 or visit our blog at www.wereherewithyou.org.