Community health news

The consequences of COVID-19 have been many and varied, but one that may not be obvious could be a wave of cancer diagnoses. Many patients delayed important cancer screenings during the last two years, and experts are worried that cancers have gone undetected as a result.

Researchers have found that colonoscopies, the best way to screen for colorectal cancer, dropped by nearly half in 2020 compared to 2019, and they worry that there’s still a backlog. March is...

Hannah Huerter has two immediate family members who have Type 1 diabetes, which means their bodies don’t produce enough insulin. She knows many tools and technologies are available to help diabetics manage their condition and maintain good health, but the tool she recommends most often may seem unusual: Communication.

“We had a lot of family discussion. Once a week, we sat down together as a family to talk about diabetes and whether they were having a good...

Want to learn more about what lab tests at our October 9 Health Fair will tell you? Take a look at answers to some frequently asked questions. 

What tests will I receive?

Lab tests include complete blood count, chemistry panel, thyroid screen, cholesterol panel, and hemoglobin A1c for diabetes screening for $25. A prostate specific antigen, or PSA, test can be added for $10.

What does a chemistry panel tell me?

The...

Part A, Part B, Part C, Part D: Enrolling in Medicare can feel overwhelming. But taking time to understand the alphabet soup is important, and all seniors need to be aware of how the choices they make can affect their healthcare. Medicare open enrollment for 2022 coverage is October 15 through December 7, so now is the perfect time to learn about the options.

Individuals can enroll in Original Medicare, which includes Part A (Hospital Insurance) and...

It’s never a good time to be seriously ill or hospitalized with the flu, but 2021-22 could be particularly challenging as patients with COVID-19 continue to fill beds. RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, infections are also on the rise in our area. Health experts in northeast Kansas and nationwide are worried about the upcoming influenza season and hope people will help prevent a large number of flu hospitalizations by getting a flu shot.

Karen...

By Dr. Nancy Zidek, CHCS Chief of Medical Staff

Community HealthCare System has seen an increase in COVID-19 cases in our area in recent weeks. We want to make sure our patients know that early testing combined with effective treatment of COVID-19 can prevent severe illness, hospitalization, and other poor outcomes.

If you or a loved one develop any of the symptoms of COVID-19 and have ANY of the risk factors, you should get tested as soon as possible. Community...

During the Health Fair, individuals can receive a complete blood count, chemistry panel, thyroid screen, cholesterol panel, and hemoglobin A1c for...

If you have a heart attack or a heart procedure, you can participate in Cardiac Rehab to help regain your health. But Community HealthCare System wants to do more to help people prevent heart problems in the first place. A new program, Heart to Heart Therapy, can do just that.

The friendly, highly customizable program is designed to help people set goals, learn about heart health risk factors, and start exercising with help from a team of wellness experts.

Meranda...