(Tulsa, OK) The Tulsa Health Department will celebrate the grand opening of the North Regional Health and Wellness Center on Saturday, September 29, 2012 from 11:00am to 3:00pm at 5635 N. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., Tulsa, OK 74126.
The community is invited to tour the new facility, meet and greet the staff, and receive free wellness screenings. Free refreshments and information booths will be available throughout the day, as well as family-friendly activities, including live music from Soul Revolution, Zumba, inflatable games, and a mascot dance off.
“We are pleased to be a part of the Tulsa North community and to provide preventative health services greatly needed in this area of the County.” stated Tulsa Health Department Director Dr. Bruce Dart.
The concept of the North Regional Health and Wellness Center originated as a result of the 2006 Lewin Group Report and the Tulsa County Health Profile. Both reports provided statistical data regarding grave health disparities in Tulsa North. Therefore, the primary focus of the center was to influence attitudes and behaviors responsible for 65% of health outcomes as relates to diet, physical activity, and tobacco use, however, the overarching plan was to introduce social change.
“The most powerful way to achieve improvements in health is to target services and programs to those who experience the greatest health disparities in their own community.” stated Reggie Ivey, chief of operations for the Tulsa Health Department.
The Health Center features a wide array of patient services including immunizations, family planning, breast and cervical cancer screenings, school- based health education, nurse case management for mothers, community outreach, adult health screenings, Women, Infants and Children (WIC), and behavioral health services for children. In addition, the Health Center will be home to several prevention programs, including tobacco reduction, substance abuse, teen pregnancy, and infant mortality.
Unique aspects of the Health Center include community meeting rooms, a demonstration kitchen, a walking trail, and a community garden, which is planned for the spring of 2013. There is also a large multipurpose room that can be used for community exercise classes.
In order to provide the residents of Tulsa North with a comprehensive health and wellness center where they may obtain both preventative and primary care services, the Tulsa Health Department has partnered with several area health providers, including Oklahoma State University Physicians.
OSU Center for Health Sciences, through OSU Physicians, will provide primary care services ranging from vaccinations and physical exams to OBGYN services and child health exams.
Regina Lewis, D.O., family medicine, will provide primary care services for OSU Physicians.
“OSU Center for Health Sciences is proud to partner in this endeavor to provide vital medical services as part of our mission to serve underserved areas of Oklahoma,” said Howard Barnett, president of OSU-Tulsa and OSU Center for Health Sciences. “As a graduate of the OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine and the director of our Women’s Health Center for the past five years, Dr. Lewis will be a tremendous asset in establishing the family medicine practice and providing care for the residents of the community.”
The OSU Physicians clinic at the North Regional Health and Wellness Center will begin seeing patients on October 1, 2012.
According to Ivey, “Effective and intentional, coordinated, partnerships and collaborations with healthcare providers, educational institutions, faith based entities, community organizations and the business community will be the catalyst to revitalizing Tulsa North and reducing health inequities.”
In addition to OSU Physicians, Guiding Right, Inc will also provide HIV counseling and testing at the facility.
The North Regional Health and Wellness Center opened its doors to patients on September 4, 2012. The modern, 30,000-square-foot facility includes 12 exam rooms, several waiting areas, and staff offices in an easy-to-navigate environment. The overall design concept and location of the Health Center was adopted following significant community input. Funding for the $8.2 million project was made through local and private funds. Operational funds include a mix of federal, state, and local dollars.
For more information, please contact Kaitlin Snider at (918) 595-4496.
