Christiana Care partners with BAPS Charities at annual health fair
Christiana Care again partnered with BAPS Charities in conducting an annual health fair in New Castle, Nov. 19.
BAPS Charities is an international, non-religious, charitable organization that originated from the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha with a focus on serving society.
The event marked the seventh year that BAPS and Christiana Care have collaborated to focus on preventive care and create community awareness of health issues.
“The effort BAPS takes to engage Christiana Care professionals in this endeavor is remarkable,” said LeRoi Hicks, M.D., MPH, Hugh R. Sharp Jr. Chair of Medicine and physician leader of Christiana Care’s Acute Medicine Service Line. “Their well-coordinated activities offer us an opportunity to address health determinants among a large population of underserved in our community and helps to address many of the frequently under-recognized contributors to health care disparity.”
Nearly 60 health care professionals, volunteers and individuals from Christiana Care and other institutions volunteered to provide health screenings and flu vaccinations to the local community. Professionals included those from various subspecialties including cardiology, nephrology and pulmonology.
More than 150 adults reviewed labs results and health issues with physicians during one-on-one counseling sessions.
Community outreach staff provided combination health screenings, including cholesterol, blood pressure, diabetes and cancer screening, to 38 people, and 146 people received flu shots. Leading up to the event, 36 women completed mammograms in partnership with the Christiana Care Breast Center.
“Of the individuals who participated in the combination screening, 13 reported not having health insurance and 14 reported not having seen a doctor in two years,” said Charlene Marinelli, BSN, RN, OCN, cancer screening nurse navigator. “Two women requested assistance with funding, finding a primary care provider and getting amammogram done.” They are being helped by Christiana Care.
Himani Divatia, M.D., associate director of Christiana Care’s Medicine/Pediatrics Residency Program, and a number of residents spoke with families about the importance of healthy eating and outdoor activities.
Event organizers from Christiana Care included Nora Katurakes, MSN, RN, OCN, manager of Community Health Outreach & Education, Charlene Marinelli, BSN, RN, OCN, cancer screening nurse navigator, Joceline Valentin, community outreach coordinator, and Terry Wilde, Christiana Care outreach assistant.
Christiana Care participants included: Vinod Kripalu, M.D., Dhruval Patel, M.D., Ashish Parikh, M.D., Selvam Mascarenhas, M.D., Hema Gouru, M.D., Vinay Hosmane, M.D., MPH, Mona Parikh, M.D., Himani Divatia, D.O., Romil Patel, M.D., Manish Garg, M.D., Kevin Patel, M.D., Scott Holmes, D.O., Shannon Wilton, D.O., Rosie Musheno, M.D., Gaurav Patel, M.D., Ashley Homan, FNP, Lauren Duddy, BSN, RN, CEN, PCCN, and Beth Sargent, FNP.
