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In 1991, St.
Rita’s introduced a service that puts reliable health information at the
fingertips of every Lima resident with a phone. That service is Call A Nurse.
Today, this free community service extends from Lima to Van Wert, Coldwater,
Bellefontaine and St. Mary’s, and each year, more than 81,000 residents
call with health concerns. The questions can range from the warning signs
of stroke to the difference between the measles and mumps. The program is
the only one of its kind in West Central Ohio, and one of only three in
the state of Ohio.
Currently 25 registered nurses staff the phones 24 hours a day, seven days a
week. They provide callers with timely, accurate information on thousands
of medical concerns, direct them to educational programs, make referrals
to community services, and help families find the doctor who best fits their
health needs.
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Also
at no charge, callers can take advantage of an over-the-phone health
risk appraisal or access the Call A Nurse health library to listen
to recorded messages on over 2,000 health topics. To make accessing
health information even more convenient, the health library is now
also on our website. So, with the click of a button, thousands of
health topics can also be explored, no matter what the time of day
or night. |
With a combined 500 years of nursing experience, the Call A Nurse service
provides residents with peace of mind not only over the phone, but also
in person. Each year, our nurses provide over 1,000 hours of educational
and health screenings in the community. Health screenings are a valuable
tool in helping residents improve and maintain better health and identify
potential health problems early and connect people to the proper medical
resources. Over 5,000 area residents each year are screened for conditions
like cholesterol, osteoporosis, glucose monitoring, high blood pressure,
and potential skin damage from sun exposure. The nurses were seen administering
screenings at minority health fairs, county fairs, senior citizen centers
and in at-risk neighborhood centers.
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For our elderly population, Call A Nurse established The Senior Phone Line.
Residents over the age of 55 can call our toll-free number, 24-hours a day,
seven days a week and receive accurate information on health issues important
to them. They can find out about other resources available to them in their
own community and access the health library on thousands of health related
topics. |
In
1998, other area hospitals began to recognize the value of the Call
A Nurse program. While they could not afford to duplicate it, they
discovered they could work collaboratively with St. Rita’s and greatly
impact the quality of life of resident’s in their own communities.
Call A Nurse expanded once again, and now reaches into ten counties,
touching the lives of more than a half-million residents.
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For
More Information
(419)
226-9000
(800) 437-4827 |
| Did You Know? |
| St.
Rita's Call A Nurse is available 24 hour a day, seven days a week
to answer and help with your health questions. |
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