TEXAS COUNTY MEMORIAL HOSPITAL– Houston , Missouri
Community Health & Wellness Screenings Program

What is it?
TCMH is located in the heart of the largest geographic county in the state of Missouri (similar in size to Rhode Island ). The hospital reaches out to its entire county through a comprehensive effort to bring health screenings, information, and services to places where large groups of people gather, such as the county fair and the rural electric cooperative picnic. These efforts include complete health fairs with free health screenings in addition to special events focusing on school sports physicals or prostate cancer. TCMH also promotes employee community service by including community involvement in the employee annual performance appraisals.

Who is it for?
These events are either free or very low cost, and they are open to everyone in the county. Many area residents attend these health fairs and screening events due to financial hardship, geographical distance, or cultural resistance to seeking health care, which may tend to make these residents avoid going to doctors or hospitals unless absolutely necessary. 

Why do they do it?
In the rocky, rolling hills of southern Missouri , poverty and unemployment are higher than the state average, while access to regular health care services is lower than average. Connecting patients to care can be challenging. As the sole community provider for hospital care in the region, Texas County Memorial Hospital ’s “commitment to maximum health care” is a bold proposition. Through its creative approach to outreach, TCMH hopes to spur area residents to be more proactive about their health.

Impact: In 2007, the hospital sponsored 13 community health fairs and conducted nearly 1,000 free or low-cost health screenings for area residents. To expand access to health information, more than 100 hospital employees volunteered their time at 17 community events. For many area residents, these venues provided their only access to a health care provider.

Contact: Joleen Senter Durham
Director, Public Relations and Marketing
Telephone: 417-967-1258
E-mail:joleen@tcmh.org