Brookings Health System Joins Million Hearts® Campaign
- June 19, 2017
To improve local access to health care, Brookings Health System is joining the Million Hearts® 2022 campaign, a national initiative co-led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to prevent one million heart attacks and strokes within five years.
“Through free community screenings that assess people’s risk for heart attack or stroke, we hope to educate the public on healthy lifestyle choices to prevent, or treat, these conditions,” said Chief Nursing Officer Tammy Hillestad. “Our team, along with SDSU nursing students, will deliver a seven-point screening assessment to rural and underserved individuals in Brookings and surrounding communities, including military veterans.”
Screenings will be offered to adults ages 18 and older at no charge thanks to funds provided by Brookings Health System Foundation. Participants will be asked to provide their medical history and fast eight to nine hours before the screening. Assessments include blood pressure, body mass index (BMI) calculation using height and weight, cholesterol panel, glucose, and a stress questionnaire.
Once the care team has assessed a participant’s health, the participant will receive counseling and education as well as appropriate referrals as needed for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diet modifications, diabetes management, stress management and smoking cessation.
Brookings Health hopes to reach 500 people through Million Hearts screenings this summer. Dates for screenings include:
- June 26, 4 – 6 p.m.: First United Methodist Church Community Life Center, Brookings
- July 13, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.: K-Country Cookout, White
- July 15, 9 – 11 a.m.; 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.: Pioneer Days, McKnight Community Hall, White
- July 29, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.: Arlington Days, Arlington Medical Center
- July 31, 4 – 6 p.m.: First United Methodist Church Community Life Center, Brookings
To learn more about Million Hearts® 2022, please visit https://millionhearts.hhs.gov.
About Brookings Health System
Brookings Health System, located in Brookings, South Dakota, includes the 49-bed Brookings Hospital, the 79-bed The Neighborhoods at Brookview nursing home, Brookhaven Estates senior living apartments, Yorkshire Eye Clinic, and medical clinics in Arlington, White and Volga, South Dakota. It is a non-profit, city-owned facility that offers the community a full range of inpatient, outpatient, surgical and extended care services. The emergency room is staffed 24 hours a day and provides around the clock patient needs ranging from minor injuries to life threatening crises. For more information about the services offered at Brookings Health System, please call (605) 696-9000 or visit us on the Web at brookingshealth.org.
About Brookings Health System Foundation
The mission of Brookings Health System Foundation is “Inspiring people to support Brookings Health System through philanthropy, recognizing the vital role of local healthcare in sustaining quality of life in our community.” Gifts to the Foundation support charity health care for those less fortunate, health and wellness education, facility, equipment, and technology upgrades and other needs as they arise at Brookings Health System. For more information about Brookings Health System Foundation or how you may contribute, please contact Foundation Director Barb Anderson at (605) 696-8855 or foundation@brookingshealth.org.