Wellness screenings being next week

Wellness screenings coming to Saratoga, Encampment and Hanna this month offer 13 different tests to assess the health of individuals participating, plus additional screenings for blood pressure and possibly bone density.

Blood draws in Saratoga and Encampment are being organized by the Valley Service Organization (VSO), according to project coordinator Sue Jones. The wellness screenings are offered statewide by Wyoming Health Fairs/Wellness Health Fairs (WHF).

Saratoga blood draws will be held Wednesday and Thursday, April 16 and 17, at the Great Hall of the Platte Valley Community Center. Upper Valley blood draws are Friday and Saturday, April 25 and 26, at the Grand Encampment Opera House. Hours are from 6 to 10 a.m. each day.The Hanna blood draw is Tuesday, April 29, from 6:30 to 8:30 a.m. at the Hanna Elementary School. Results will be posted online 48 hours later, Jones said, and all participants also will receive their results in the mail.

The cost of screenings range from $20 for the Hemogram (CBC) to $55 for the Estradiol. The basic blood chemistry profile this year costs $35. This test is a full 32-level screening for bone and electrolyte levels, along with heart and kidney functions and liver and lipid functions with cholesterol, protein, iron glucose and thyroid levels. Other screenings available are: PSA for men; Vitamin D, Hydroxy; Thyroid panel T3, T4; Hemoglobin AIC; Testosterone; C-Reactive Protein (CRP), Ferritin; Vitamin B12; Celiac Screening, and Blood type.

Also available are the ColoKit ($10), a take-home test to screen for the risk of colon cancer; bone density test ($5 if available), and a health risk assessment (HA) online with the Mayo Clinic ($25).

Participants are urged to fast for 12 hours before the blood draw, unless diabetic, and to drink plenty of water and take medications as usual.

Tests are to be paid for at the time they are taken. Wyoming Health Fairs do not bill insurance companies, but provide the proper information for the patient to receive reimbursement. This applies to Medicare recipients as well. Some companies provide employee vouchers for the screenings.

For information on tests and payment procedures, call 800-979-3711. More information on the individual tests is also available online at the website, http://WHF.to