Swope Health’s mission has always been to deliver accessible, quality, comprehensive patient care to the community – and the health center has taken that a step further in recent years. With the acquisition of two Mobile Dental Units, Swope Health now goes directly to the underserved members of the community, primarily providing care to those in schools and homeless shelters.

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Swope Health announces the opening of its latest school-based clinic at University Academy, a college preparatory public charter academy in Kansas City, Mo.

Swope Health KidsCARE University Academy offers dental and behavioral health services to students, signifying the health center’s enduring commitment to providing accessible healthcare to the community.

Appointments for dental and behavioral care are available to students at the request of parents/guardians. Through the clinic, families can also receive assistance with obtaining health insurance and referrals to other services, if needed.

Swope Health KidsCARE integrates healthcare services for children in community- and school-based settings. With the convenience of on-site care, students can be seen for appointments with minimal disruption to their school day and caregivers’ workdays. Research indicates that access to healthcare services within schools improves health outcomes, attendance rates and overall academic performance.

Jeron Ravin, J.D., President and CEO of Swope Health, expressed his excitement about the partnership, stating, “We are thrilled to bring our comprehensive healthcare services to the students and staff at University Academy. By offering a wide range of services at their doorstep, we aim to support the health and well-being of the entire school community.”

Rebecca Gudde, University Academy Superintendent, agrees. “The onsite clinic provides essential services in the most convenient and accessible way. Swope Health shares our vision for improved access to quality care, and we are thrilled welcome KidsCARE to University Academy.” 

In addition to the site at University Academy, Swope Health KidsCARE clinics are located in Emmanuel Child and Family Development Center, Operation Breakthrough, and the Excelsior Springs Early Childhood Center.

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Dr. Debra Heidgen and Dr. Vernon Mills, two highly esteemed pediatricians who have served the Leavenworth community for more than four and five decades, respectively, will now practice at Swope Health’s Leavenworth location – 1001 Sixth Street, Ste. 210, Leavenworth, Kan. In light of this expansion, the clinic will be renamed Swope Health KidsCARE Leavenworth Pediatrics, reflecting the united commitment to serve the local community.

“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Heidgen and Dr. Mills to the Swope Health family,” said Jeron Ravin, J.D., President and CEO of Swope Health. “Their exceptional skills, expertise, and patient-centered approach align perfectly with our mission to provide comprehensive, quality healthcare to individuals of all ages and backgrounds. This partnership will strengthen our ability to deliver exceptional pediatric care to the community of Leavenworth.”

Mills expressed excitement about the new venture. “Joining Swope Health will provide us with an enhanced platform to continue delivering excellent care to our patients,” he said. “By combining our expertise with the extensive resources and support of Swope Health, as well as with Dr. Lori Golon, Dr. Garret Kahle, and their team, we will be able to address the evolving healthcare needs of Leavenworth’s pediatric population more effectively.”

Heidgen echoed Mills’ enthusiasm. “I am honored to join Swope Health and to continue serving the children and families of Leavenworth. Together, with my esteemed colleagues, we look forward to continuing to provide personalized, comprehensive care to our patients, while leveraging the resources and expertise of Swope Health to enhance their well-being.”

With the addition of Heidgen and Mills, Swope Health KidsCARE Leavenworth Pediatrics will continue to offer well-child visits, immunizations, preventive care, acute illness treatment, and chronic disease management, with expanded capacity. The clinic accepts most insurance plans and serves the needs of uninsured and underinsured patients through its sliding fee program.

Swope Health remains committed to fostering a warm, welcoming environment for patients and their families, embracing a patient-centered approach that prioritizes accessibility, cultural sensitivity, and high-quality care. 

For more information about Swope Health KidsCARE Leavenworth Pediatrics, please contact Bridget Locke at blocke@swopehealth.org or (816) 599-5554 / (816) 830-2494.

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Swope Health has provided comprehensive primary care, dental care and behavioral health services in the Greater Kansas City area for 54 years. Recognized as a patient-centered medical home by the National Committee for Quality Assurance, Swope Health’s commitment to an integrated model of healthcare aligns with its mission of improving community health and wellness by delivering accessible, quality, comprehensive patient care. Accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities and The Joint Commission, Swope Health is also recognized as a Federally Qualified Health Center. Swope Health served 44,300 patients in 2022, and is located in 21 locations throughout the area, including Kansas City, Belton, Independence, Kansas City North, Hickman Mills, and Wyandotte and Leavenworth Counties, in Kansas. Learn more at swopehealth.org.

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You are invited to stop by and learn more about our services, get registered, connect with additional resources, and pick up backpacks, school supplies, Harvesters food boxes, and more!

This event is free and open to the public.

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You’ll have the opportunity to tour the clinic, meet our associates and clinicians, and learn more about the services we offer. Plus, meet with our partners from the Excelsior Springs School District and Head Start.

Swope Health appreciates the support provided by our partners NASB, T-Mobile, Come On Now!, Delta Dental, Association of  Clinicians for the Underserved, and the Missouri Telehealth Network.

The post Open House at our new KidsCARE clinic in Excelsior Springs appeared first on Swope Health.

The event is free and open to the public.

As Children’s Health Day, part of the National Community Health Center Week celebration, Swope Health will provide on-site health screenings for kids to help with back-to-school requirements. Available screenings:

• Hearing, Vision and Body-Mass Index or growth assessment screenings
• Lead poisoning screening and information
• Dental screening and fluoride treatment
• HIV screening
• Preventive screening information

Additional Swope Health associates will be on hand to provide COVID-19 vaccination information, assistance with Medicaid signup and navigation, and dietary consulting.

Participants will receive free backpacks with school supplies, including Bombas socks. Each backpack includes a voucher for Monarchs game tickets and ballpark food – hotdogs, popcorn, and chips – at Legends Stadium. Participants also have the option of entering an hourly drawing for gas cards, grocery cards, and gift cards.

Throughout the event, a DJ will be playing music and Monty, the Monarchs mascot, will be livening up the event and available for photos with families. There’s face painting, games, a Kona Ice Truck and much more.

Swope Health and the Kansas City Monarchs appreciate the support of cosponsors United Healthcare, Aetna Better Health of Kansas, Sunflower Health Plan, and the Kansas Civic Engagement Table.

Are you ready for the new school year?

Kansas City, Kansas:

Child care and pre-school required immunizations in the state of Kansas are provided by the Kansas Department of Health and Empowerment, Division of Public Health: https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/324/Immunization-Requirements

The new school year in KCK Public Schools begins:

• Aug. 16 for students in kindergarten through 6^th grade, and 9^th grade students
• Aug. 17 for students in 7^th, 8^th, 10^th, 11^th and 12^th grades.

The school district offers a Guide for the 2023-24 School Year,  including information on family advocacy days, transportation, nutritional services, and more.

Kansas City, Missouri:

Child care and pre-school required immunizations in the state of Missouri, including reporting information, state regulations, and tools and resources are available from the Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services: https://health.mo.gov/living/wellness/immunizations/daycarerequirements.php. Also see specific Pre-school Immunization requirements in Missouri

The new school year in Kansas City Public Schools begins on Aug. 21.

The school district offers a checklist with information about required supplies, uniforms, and school schedules. The district also hosts open houses at most schools to orient kids and their families to the school location, classrooms, and teachers. You can also find information about transportation, including bus routes, schedules, and resources.

The post Connecting Families to Care appeared first on Swope Health.

This marks Swope Health’s first expansion in Kansas since the 1980s, when it first clinic opened in Wyandotte County. Dr. Lori Ann Golon, the primary physician at the practice, and the full clinic staff will join Swope Health and continue serving their roster of patients. 

“For 23 years, Dr. Golon’s practice has provided quality, cost effective medical care to pediatric patients in the Leavenworth and Lansing communities. Relatedly, Swope Health seeks to eliminate barriers to care while helping kids and families develop healthy habits for a lifetime,” said Jeron Ravin, J.D., President and CEO of Swope Health. “We are thrilled to welcome the entire staff to Swope Health and feel honored to strengthen our service to Kansas families.”

“Combining resources and services will allow us to provide our patients and families with the best in care and support,” said Golon. “We are excited to join the Swope Health system of care clinics.” 

Swope Health will host an open house at the clinic, located at 1001 6th Ave., #210, Leavenworth, Kan., 66048, for patients and members of the community on Friday, July 14, 3-5 p.m. The public is invited to meet the clinicians, staff and Swope Health leadership team. Members of the press are specifically invited to learn more about the acquisition. Please contact Bridget Locke, director of strategic communications, at blocke@swopehealth.org or (816) 830-2494, for more details or to schedule an interview with members of Swope Health’s leadership team. 

Swope Health, the leading provider of quality accessible healthcare in greater Kansas City, has provided comprehensive primary care and behavioral health services for more than 50 years. Recognized as a patient-centered medical home by the National Committee for Quality Assurance, Swope Health’s commitment to an integrated model of healthcare aligns with its mission of improving community health and wellness by delivering accessible, quality, comprehensive patient care. Accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities and The Joint Commission, Swope Health is also recognized as a Federally Qualified Health Center. Annually, Swope Health serves more than 46,000 patients at 16 centers located throughout the area including Kansas City, Belton, Independence, Kansas City North, Hickman Mills and Wyandotte County, KS. Learn more at swopehealth.org.

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After all, summer months bring a change of perspective as kids spend time in places other than the classroom – whether that’s outdoors in bright sunshine or indoors in front of a screen. Kids probably aren’t thinking about their vision, but you should.

“Kids can have vision problems and not realize it,” says Dr. Vincent Parsons, Swope Health’s chair of optometry. “And even minor vision problems can lead to impacts in learning, reading, developing social skills and reaching their full potential.”

That’s why Swope Health, the American Optometric Association, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other professional and public health agencies recommend annual eye exams.

Another reason is the stress we inflict on our eyes – at all ages – by staring at screens aglow with videos, games, social media posts and so much more. Optometrists know this can produce what’s called “digital eye strain” or computer vision syndrome. This is a series of vision-related problems like eyestrain and blurred vision resulting from too much time in front of a computer, tablet, reader or mobile phone.

Digital eye strain can cause itchy eyes, Dr. Parsons noted, because staring at the screen makes the eyes work harder and can suppress the normal blink reflex, which acts to spread tears across the surface of the eye. Without keeping the eyes moist, they can dry out and feel scratchy.

“I get more complaints about dry eyes in children now than ever in my 30-plus years of practice,” Dr. Parsons said.

How can you tell if your kids are getting too much screen time?

Start with the guidelines: The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends one hour of screen time a day as enough for children 2 to 12, and two hours a day is acceptable for teens and adults. Children under two shouldn’t have any screen time.

If your kids are using the screen more than those guidelines, watch for these signs:

• Headache
• Blurry eyes
• Foggy brain or trouble focusing
• Eye strain
• Sleep issues

Granted, it might be hard to spot some of these. You can also look for related signs:

• Poor posture
• Behavior issues
• Poor core strength
• Decreased attention span
• Difficulty in transitioning from one activity to another
• Less self-control

You can also watch for changes in behavior, like these:

• Less family interaction
• Less creative or imagination play
• Lack of energy
• Easily distracted
• Wanting more screen time
• Moodiness or Increased frustration

What you can do

All of these factors demonstrate the many ways our society’s preoccupation with digital screens affect us, in ways beyond the stress to our vision, Dr. Parsons noted.

For example, the American Optometric Association notes that too much screen time can affect a child’s vocabulary and communication skills, leading to lower developmental readiness.

It’s worth taking to heart the guidance from pediatricians and optometrists to build a plan for your family’s use. For example, set up screen-free areas (like at the dinner table) and specific screen-free family times (walks, outdoor games, reading, etc.) Be sure to incorporate physical activity to make up for the lack of movement while using most digital media. Taking breaks from the screens is the No. 1 step.

And don’t forget to schedule an eye examination for the kids. Be sure to let the eye doctor know if your child exhibits any of the symptoms of too much screen time or any other vision problems.

Swope Health can coordinate your healthcare needs and make scheduling easy. Plan a back-to-school vision check-up at the same time you schedule a physical, immunization check-up, or dental exam for your kids. Call 816-923-5800 for your appointments.

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Swope Health supports this effort and encourages all families with infants to learn of the importance of routine childhood immunizations to give your baby a strong and healthy start. Swope Health follows the guidance of the American Academy of Pediatrics in providing access for well-child appointments and routine vaccinations to prevent disease.

“Vaccinations play a critical role in protecting the health of babies and children,” said Dr. Kenneth Thomas, Executive Vice President of Children’s Services, Swope Health. “Childhood vaccinations prevent illness, disabilities and death from more than a dozen diseases.”

Swope Health makes it easy for parents to stay up to date on all recommended vaccines for their children, with immunizations offered at seven Swope Health family Medicine satellite clinics and three KidsCARE (Pediatric) clinics. Swope Health KidsCARE Pediatric School-Based Services program offers vaccination opportunities at partnering schools and centers throughout the metro area via our pediatric mobile unit. Influenza and COVID-19 vaccination is an important component of our vaccination efforts.

“We know COVID-19 made it challenging for families to keep up with health care visits,” Dr. Thomas said. “It’s never too late to begin or catch up on routine vaccinations. As a pediatrician, we do not want any child falling ill from a preventable illnesses like measles and polio – or worse, experience a long-term disability or even death.”

He added: “COVID also reminded us all of the importance of vaccinations as a public health issue. Vaccinations protect the entire community.”

Even if you missed routine check-up visits for your children, you can get back on track. Immunizations usually happen at routine Well Child visits. A call to Swope Health can get your children back on a routine or catch-up schedule to help keep them healthy.  Regular checkups are also important for other reasons – checking developmental milestones, conducting screenings for hearing and vision, checking vital signs and routine lab tests, for example.

What’s recommended?

The American Association of Pediatricians has a schedule of recommended vaccinations for children, from birth to two years; and for kids and teens, from age seven to 18. The CDC summarizes the recommendations in a chart:

Download chart for children

Download chart for kids and teens

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We’ll be celebrating the addition of the Tenney Pediatrics & Adolescents practice to the Swope Health network and family.

At the open house, you’ll be able to tour the clinic, meet the clinicians and associates, and celebrate along with the ceremonial ribbon cutting. Light refreshments will be available.

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