Seton And Partners Gear Up For Medical Mission In Kyle

Nearly 19 percent of Hays residents are uninsured, according to Seton’s Hays County Community Health Needs Assessment.

AUSTIN, Texas –  Seton, part of Ascension, the largest nonprofit health system in the U.S. and the world’s largest Catholic health system, will host Texas’ third Ascension Medical Mission at Home this Saturday, January 28, at Seton Medical Center Hays in Kyle.

Together with community partners, Ascension Medical Mission at Home, brought to you by Seton, will provide basic medical services to adults and children who need healthcare in Hays County. More than 230 clinical volunteers and 250 non-clinical volunteers will participate in the event.

Why Hays County?

Fausto Meza, MD, vice president of medical affairs at Seton Hays, says the 2015 Hays County floods affected the entire community—from individual families to local social support and volunteer resources.

“As members of the Hays community, we’re honored to give back to our neighbors in need,” Meza said.

Nearly 19 percent of Hays residents are uninsured, according to Seton’s Hays County Community Health Needs Assessment. While that’s lower than the state average of 24 percent—it’s still higher than the U.S. average of 16 percent.

Top health concerns in Hays County include diabetes, mental health, access to resources for the elderly—including those with Alzheimer’s and dementia—and access to dental care.

Beyond a day of free care

Navigation volunteers will help individuals and families enroll in health insurance coverage and help families find a “medical home” with primary care doctors and specialists.

Pharmacists will be on-hand to offer patients consultations on new Medical Mission prescriptions, current medications and side effects.

Seton employees also helped collect coat donations to distribute at the event.

“It’s really so much more than a free doctor’s appointment,” Meza said. “It’s connecting individuals and families to the resources they need that can make a real difference.”

Doors will open at 9 a.m. and clinicians will see patients on a first-come, first-served basis until 4 p.m.

Seton’s partners include HOPE Smiles, Kids Vision for Life, CommuniCare Health Centers, Hays CISD, Dispensary of Hope, Catholic Charities of Central Texas, Chick-fil-A at Kyle, Dunkin’ Donuts at Kyle, La Quinta Inns and Suites, Duke Realty, and more.

Ascension Medical Mission at Home is part of a national effort by Ascension and its caregivers to host similar events across the country. To date, Medical Mission at Home events have been held in Tennessee, Washington D.C., New York, Alabama, Florida, Connecticut, and Indiana, and plans to expand to other markets in the coming months to meet individual and community health needs.

Ascension Texas comprises Seton in Austin and Providence Healthcare Network in Waco. The next Medical Mission will take place in summer of 2017 in Hutto, Texas.

The following services will be available for free, no insurance needed:

• Basic medical care for children and adults
• Labs
• Immunizations
• Kids’ eye exams
• Behavioral health screenings
• Dental care: exams and procedures for adults and teens
• Pharmacy consultations and prescription medication
• Mammograms
• Diabetes education
• Foot care
• Spiritual care

About Seton Healthcare Family — In Texas, Ascension operates Providence Healthcare Network and Seton Healthcare Family, which includes Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas and another 120 related clinical facilities that together employ more than 13,000 employees. Across Texas, Ascension provided more than $910 million in community benefit and charity care in the fiscal year 2015. Serving Texas for 114 years, Ascension is a faith-based health care organization committed to delivering compassionate, personalized care to all, with special attention to persons living in poverty and those most vulnerable. Ascension is the largest nonprofit health system in the U.S. and the world’s largest Catholic health system, operating 2,500 sites of care – including 141 hospitals and more than 30 senior living facilities – in 24 states and the District of Columbia. Visit www.seton.net.