Tri-County Health Network’s Community Health Worker team–Adrienne, Darlene, Robin, & Lisa–are working throughout the region to empower people to understand their heart health and ways to make healthy lifestyle changes!
Community Health Workers are based at community locations like libraries and local businesses, at varying hours and days, and provide health screenings to assess a person’s risk of developing diabetes and heart disease. The screening process is very simple! The Community Health Worker draws a small blood sample through a quick prick of a fingertip. (It is quick and painless!) The sample is then run through our machine that tests for HDL (“good” cholesterol), LDL (“bad” cholesterol), Triglycerides and Total Cholesterol.
The results only take a few minutes to come through. The Community Health Worker reviews the results with the client and discusses steps and relevant community programs that could help the client reduce his/her risk of heart disease or stroke. We can send the results to the client’s doctor to save the client from having the same tests done at their next appointment.
We know that change is hard, so we’re here to help outside of screenings, too. If a person wants on-going coaching to make a healthy lifestyle change, our Community Health Workers can regularly follow-up and provide support. We can check in to see how someone is doing in meeting their goals, set new goals, provide additional resources, and be there as a cheerleader.
Over the last 3 years, our Community Health Workers conducted 1,591 heart healthy screenings and identified 708 clients as being at-risk for a heart attack or stroke within the next 10 years. We created action plans to help reduce the risk for heart attack and stroke with 94% of those identified as at-risk and referred all clients to relevant resources to support their healthy lifestyle changes. Across our region, clients that our Community Health Workers screened experienced reduced LDL (the bad cholesterol), decreases in blood pressure, reduced fat intake, and increases in exercise. The services work!
If you’re interested in a screening, call us at 970-708-7096 or send an email to info@tchnetwork.org and we’ll connect you to your local Community Health Worker. We’re also looking to partner with businesses to screen employees! Call Adrienne at 720-333-9188 if you would like a Community Health Worker to come to your business.
