August 2020
Monthly news & updates
Welcome to the latest news from Community Health & Dental Care!

As a friend of CHDC, we invite you to join us each month to learn more about the services we offer and discover exciting news we have coming up now and in the future. Going forward, you'll read special messages from our CEO Bridgette McGivern, providers, and/or staff, as well as gain access to important health news to benefit you and your family or share with a friend. Please join us each month and we look forward to your engagement along the way as we grow!

Questions? Comments? Please contact:
Jennifer O'Donnell, Marketing & Promotions Officer
[email protected] or 610-326-9460 ext. 215.
Safety Protocol Update:
At Community Health and Dental Care, we are committed to a safe and clean environment as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. Locations have been triple-cleaned, all staff are wearing masks, seating in lobby and waiting rooms are socially distant, Octodent equipment have been installed in our dental facilities, and patients are being scheduled to allow for appropriate levels of social distancing in our facility. COVID-19 pre-screening includes temperature checks of all patients upon arrival for their scheduled appointment. All patients and staff are required to wear masks.

If you are an existing patient or looking for a new medical home, we invite you to schedule your next appointment by calling 610-326-9460.

We are Expanding!
As a patient-centered healthcare center, our clients get a team of healthcare specialists, dedicated to you and your family. We address every area of your health at any one of our locations:
  • 351 W. Schuylkill Road, Pottstown (in the Coventry Mall, next to Dick's Sporting Goods)
  • 800 Heritage Drive, Pottstown
  • 700 Heritage Drive, Pottstown
  • 1315 Route 100 North, Barto - See our latest news below!
Barto - Opening September 2020
We are excited to announce that CHDC is expanding and opening up a new location in Barto! Our new location at 1315 Route 100 North will open with Medical and Behavioral Health services in September with Dental and Medical Dispensary soon to follow! New and existing patients are invited to schedule their appointment now. To schedule, please call 610-326-9460.

To stay up-to-date about our Barto location, please click here.
Our Services
At CHDC, we believe everyone has the right to access quality healthcare. With three locations in Pottstown and our expansion into Barto, we offer a wide range of medical and dental services to take care of you and your family regardless of your insurance status.

Free Transportation and healthcare discounts are also available.
It's National Immunization Awareness Month
Adults Need Vaccines, too!
Featured Article Written by:
Irene Shephard, CPNP and Chief Medical Officer
August is National Immunization Awareness Month. Immunizations are important to help prevent disease at any age. Through infancy and childhood, we give vaccines to prevent some routine childhood illness as well as preventing illnesses that can be devastating and deadly. Childhood vaccines prevent whooping cough as well as well as other serious and sometimes deadly illnesses that include meningitis, serious blood infections, and pneumonias. Polio wreaked havoc on our country during the 1950’s and 60’s, causing both paralysis and death. This illness has essentially been eradicated from our country due to vaccines. At one time, illnesses like measles, mumps, rubella (German measles), and chicken pox were routine childhood illnesses. However, they can also have serious complications, including death and serious birth defects. Many people have concerns about the safety of vaccines and they have been wrongly accused of causing problems such as autism. There has been no scientific evidence that this is true, but unfortunately this has caused many people to not have their children vaccinated. This has caused outbreaks of measles, mumps, and even other more serious illnesses.  The HPV vaccine, which prevents the spread of human papilloma virus, helps to prevent some serious cancers such as cervical cancer. We now have vaccines to essentially prevent these illnesses. Vaccines give us the power to protect our children from serious illness. 
 
Immunizations do not stop with childhood. Adults also benefit from vaccines and contribute to the overall immunity of the community. Whooping cough, which again can be deadly to infants, is usually spread by adults. In an adult, whooping cough can just look like a cold, but when spread to an infant, it can be very serious. We now have the Tdap vaccine, which helps to prevent whooping cough or pertussis in adults and prevents the spread to infants. This vaccine is also given to pregnant women so that the immunity will pass along to their babies. All family members of infants should receive the Tdap vaccine. As we age, our immune systems tend to weaken, putting us at greater risk of disease. Immunizations continue to be one of the best and safest ways to protect your health. Thousands of adults each year, get sick from illnesses that can be prevented by vaccines. The elderly and those with chronic illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, and lung disease can be protected from serious illnesses like pneumonia and the flu by receiving the Pneumococcal vaccines as well as the flu vaccine. One in three adults will contract shingles, which can cause severe pain. There is now a vaccine to help prevent this illness.
 
Everyone, adults and children alike, can benefit from receiving immunizations. If you have not recently had vaccines, contact your health care provider and they can help you update your vaccines to remain healthy!
Important Health News
Help us spread the word!
The Tri-County Health Council has launched a multi-faceted campaign effort to reach members of the Greater Pottstown region to encourage people to seek immediate emergency care if experiencing signs of a stroke or heart attack. Many people are experiencing anxiety about going to the hospital for emergency care due to the pandemic. However, our hospitals and healthcare facilities are fully equipped and safe for people who need immediate care.

Help us spread the word and reduce the harm done to individuals who might ignore symptoms of stroke and heart attack and not seek care.

To download flyer, click:


With the start of a new school year, a lot needs to happen so that students can learn and thrive without raising the risk of spreading COVID-19.

To learn more, click here.
CHDC has licensed behavioral health staff eager to help you with stress or anxiety related to Coronavirus, as well as any other hardship you may be experiencing. Ask your medical provider for a referral or call us at 610-326-9460.
Did you Hear?
EAT FRESH Program

On June 17, 2020 the CHDC care management team rolled out a new EatFresh Program in cooperation with the Chester County Food Bank. After conducting a hypertension and diabetes management outreach to identify patients to invite to participate, the EatFresh team then delivered boxes of fresh fruits, vegetables, and yogurt to the homes of the 14 patients (and their families) who participated. Another 13 patients picked up boxes at the Coventry Mall location. In addition to food supplies, patients received education materials related to healthy eating, recipes, cooking safety as well as given access to participate in live cooking classes using Zoom and related nutritional videos. Interactions with the patients were used as an opportunity to discuss overall well-being, self-management of chronic conditions and receive a blood pressure check. The program was so well received that the Food Bank has agreed to continue partnering with the health center to expand the program and allow additional participants. The program is currently set to run through September 2020.

(Pictured: Camille Watson, Lauren Emmell, Kristine Jones, and Gladys Rodriguez)
CHDC Featured on WEEU 830 AM

On June 30, 2020 Community Health and Dental Care was featured on WEEU 830 AM Radio in an hour long interview segment. Listen to hear Bridgette McGivern, Chief Executive Officer; Eric Rios, Chief Operations Officer; Jim Wilkinson, Chief Compliance Officer; and Jennifer O'Donnell, Marketing & Promotions Officer talk about our humble beginnings and how we've grown since 2008. You'll also hear from a few happy patients who called in to say hello! Click on the WEEU logo to hear the full interview on SoundCloud. Thank you for listening!
National Health Center Week

“Community Health Centers: Lighting the Way for Healthier Communities Today and in the Future”
Community Health Centers around the country serve as the beacon of strength, service, and care in their communities. We celebrated National Health Center Week August 9th – 15th! Although COVID-19 restrictions prevented the community events we had envisioned to do, we shared a few highlights on our Facebook page and invite you to check it out!


2020 Census - There's still time to complete!

There's still time to complete the 2020 Census! The census provides critical data that lawmakers, business owners, teachers, and many others use to provide daily services, products, and support for you and your community, such as:
  • Healthcare
  • Education
  • Emergency Response
  • Employment
  • Infrastructure

To complete the 2020 Census, click here.
Welcome to the CHDC Family!
Please join us in welcoming our newest medical providers and staff who have recently joined our CHDC family over the last few months.
Sara Majeed, MD, MBA
Family Practice

Dr. Sara Majeed graduated from Brooklyn College with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology, and then went to medical school at the American University of Antigua. At the same time she completed an MBA in healthcare administration via correspondence from Plymouth State University. Dr. Majeed completed her residency in Family Medicine at St. Luke’s Sacred Heart Hospital.
Yardie Toussaint-Foster, DO
Women's Health - OB/GYN

Dr. Yardlie Toussaint-Foster earned her degree at New York College of Osteopathic medicine and completed her residency at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic medicine.
Jennifer O'Donnell
Marketing & Promotions Officer

Kristin Tarquini
Physician Assistant

Kharemah (Kay) Hamilton
Data Application Support Specialist

Raphaelita (Raph) Justice
HR Liason

Jessica Eisenberger
RN Site Coordinator

Elizabeth Fortuner
Pediatric Case Manager
Board Members Wanted
Community Health and Dental Care is seeking to fill 3-4 board positions. Board meetings are held on the 4th Monday of each month.

For more information, please contact Bridgette McGivern, CEO, at [email protected].
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