As Socorro ISD faculty and staff returned to welcome students back on campus for the 2021-22 school year, the district’s Employee Health Clinic remained ready to serve employees and their dependents with a variety of new services after a long year battling COVID-19.
“I am definitely excited to get back to some normalcy,” said the clinic’s physician, Dr. Alba Nevarez. “Our clinic here has made great progress so far, we’re really proud of everything that we’ve done this last year and we are excited about the future and the potential that we have here.”
The Socorro ISD health clinic launched in March 2020 and had been open only for two weeks when the pandemic hit. Over the last year, most patients have been treated for flu like symptoms, but Dr. Nevarez is excited for the potential to help employees get their health back on track, she said.
Due to the pandemic and out of precaution to avoid being exposed to the virus, she said many patients did not continue routine doctor visits and wellness checks.
Now, the clinic is seeing an influx of people coming in to be treated for various reasons and the staff is eager to help individuals meet health and wellness goals. One new benefit the clinic is offering is a weight loss program.
“It’s not your typical work weight loss challenge. It’s not a program where everybody joins to see who can lose the most weight in 30 days,” said clinic manager, Kelly Moreno, R.N. “The program is provider driven and no two people will have the same plan.”
Individuals in the weight loss program will have lab work and a biometric screening done, then they will speak with a medical provider who will develop an individualized plan for the patient. Progress will be monitored over three months, with a weigh-in every 30 days.
The patients will have a phone visit with the medical doctor or physician’s assistant every two weeks and medical assistants will check in with them weekly to answer any questions or address concerns.
The clinic also has a new lab machine giving medical staff the ability to conduct a variety of lab tests, including a complete metabolic panel, a basic panel, a kidney check, and liver check.
The lab tests being conducted at the clinic will save employees from having to pay for the services from outside sources. The tests will be covered under the $10 service fee for employees.
Another benefit the clinic has been providing for many months is COVID-19 vaccines for employees and anyone 12 years old and older in the community.
“We will vaccinate anyone and everyone, over the age of 12, who wants it,” Moreno said. “They do not have to be an employee, they do not have to be dependents of an employee. We will vaccinate absolutely anybody who wants it.”
The clinic currently has Moderna and Pfizer vaccines available. Individuals may come into the clinic on a walk-in basis during the month of August to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.
Clinic staff reminds employees and the public to continue practicing proactive health and safety measures proven to work in mitigating the spread of the COVID-19 virus, such as staying home when you are sick or have symptoms, wearing a mask, hand washing, and cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched equipment and items.
The Socorro ISD Employee Health Clinic is open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. to noon Saturday. For information or appointments, call (915) 937-2750.
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