Kaniksu Health Insider - January 2022

In this issue of Kaniksu Health Insider you will find:

• How to practice better preventive care
• Updates about our new Sandpoint Community Health Clinic - Now Open!
• Kaniksu's Coat  & Winter Gear Drive - Where to find coats, where to donate coats
• We are hiring!

Tips on how to practice preventive care in 2022

The last few years have shown us that preventive health is one of the biggest gifts we can give to ourselves to live a whole and healthy life. And at Kaniksu Community Health we are here to guide you in navigating all of your preventive care options!
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Preventive care is covered by most insurances even if you haven’t hit your deductible! It’s also a lot less expensive to practice preventive care than to only seek help when there's a problem. This makes it a much more attractive option than dishing out thousands of dollars for treatments.

What is Preventive Care?

​Preventive care is proactive health; annual check-ups, immunizations/healthy living and eating, tests and screenings. It means coming in for an annual tune up before something turns into a full blown emergency. We like to think about preventive care like you do car maintenance - you wouldn’t drive your car 60 years without getting it tuned up, so don’t do that to your body?
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Annual Exams

Adult annual exams depend on the person’s age, health and family history. An annual exam will consist of a physical to review any changes from the last year and identify risk factors that could lead to future health problems, and cancer screenings if needed. Our providers also recommend a yearly dental exam and behavioral health screening as well!

​These yearly exams give your provider a good baseline to refer to in case anything moves out of your range. ​

A child’s annual exam is called a well child check! When children have regular well-child and dental visits it's easier to treat and track their development and find health problems earlier.

For infants, this looks a bit different because a newborn body changes so frequently and checking in more regularly helps the doctor notice any signs of developmental delays or disease.

​Here is a well child appointment schedule for newborns; 3-7 days, 2 weeks, 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 9 months, 12 months, 15 months, 18 months, 24 months, 30 months, 36 months.
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Preventive Care Screenings

Cervical Cancer Screenings Cervical cancer is highly curable when found and treated early.

• Fourth most common cancer in women.
• Most cases are found in women under 40.
• Women may need a different screening schedule because of their health history or family health history.
• By age 21 you should start getting cervical cancer screenings.
• Cervical cancer can be prevented when girls and boys around age 11 get the HPV vaccine.

Colorectal Cancer Screenings Both men and women should get colorectal screenings.

• Second leading cause of cancer death in Idaho.
• 95% survival rate and is preventable with early and routine screening.
• 90% of new cases occur in people 50 or older (however if you have a first degree relative who has had colon cancer you should talk to you doctor about starting screening earlier).
• If you have a first degree relative who has had colon cancer, you have a 2 to 3 time higher chance of developing the cancer.

Mammograms While we don't perform mammograms on site, we do perform hand breast exam and we teach you how to perform a self exam. Our referral team will set up an appointment for you as well!

• 7 out of 10 women in their 40s who died from breast cancer did not have a mammogram.
• 75% of women do not experience symptoms.
• After 40 your risk of breast cancer increases
• Yearly mammograms decrease the death rate by 30%

​More ways to practice preventive care

Our New Sandpoint Clinic is Now Open!

We are excited to announce our new Sandpoint location opened on January 4, 2022! Under one roof you will find pediatrics, dental, family medicine and behavioral health. As well as our patient assistance and care management teams. 
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If you have been seeing a provider at Sandpoint Pediatrics or the Ponderay clinic you will now be going to the new clinic.

What you need to know!
It's the same quality of care and same caring people just a new location.

The address
810 6th Ave
Sandpoint, ID 83864

New Phone Numbers
Dental: 208.265.1415
Pediatrics: 208.265.2242
Family Medicine: 208.265.6252

***Bonners Ferry and Priest River will not be moving locations.​

​Thank you to everyone who attended our Open House and to everyone who helped support the build of the new location. ​

Kaniksu Coat & Winter Gear Drive

Burrr it's getting cold out there! Kaniksu has coats for you!
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Do you need a coat A scarf? Mittens? Or other winter gear?
If you or a loved one is in need of coats please go to our clinics and help yourself to a coat during regular business hours. They can be found in the front entrance of each clinic.

Do you have a coat to donate?
Also, if you have a coat to donate please drop it off at any of our locations during regular business hours.

​Thank you!

We Are Hiring!

Are you looking for a rewarding career where you get to help people and also have a healthy work life balance? Then Kaniksu is the right place for you!

Click Here to View Current Openings