Community Health Net Community Health Net

(814) 455-7222 Patient Portal

Author: Community Health Net

November is American Diabetes Awareness Month

Posted on by Community Health Net in

Diabetes is one of the leading causes of disability and death in the United States. It can cause blindness, nerve damage, kidney disease, and other health problems.

Get the Facts.

  • One in 10 Americans – more than 30 million people have diabetes. Another 84 million adults in the United States are at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
  • Type 1 diabetes occurs at every age, in people of every race, and in every shape and size.
  • In type 1 diabetes, the body’s immune system destroys the cells that release insulin so that over time the body can’t produce insulin at all.
  • The most common form of diabetes – type 2 – happens when your body can’t use insulin the right way. Over time, the pancreas can’t make enough.
  • High blood sugar can harm many parts of the body, such as the eyes, heart, blood vessels, nerves, and kidneys.

Take Action.

  • Learn as much as you can about diabetes, working closely with your provider.
  • With the help of insulin therapy and other treatments, anyone can learn to manage diabetes and live healthy lives.
  • Stay Fit and Eat Healthily! Having excess body fat and a poor diet contributes to risk factors.
  • Quit Smoking! This can help you reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke.
  • See Your Medical Provider! Regular checkups are important to monitor your health.

Additional Information

Visit Community Health Net’s free Patient Education Center for more information on Diabetes.

Start here:

Diabetes
Education on type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, and gestational diabetes. Includes info on juvenile diabetes and prediabetes. Discusses symptoms and treatment. Also looks at how to manage blood sugar levels, diet, and medicines, including insulin.

Diabetes and Exercise
Find out how exercise helps you control your blood sugar and feel better in other ways too.

Diabetes and Infections
High blood sugar from diabetes can affect the body’s immune system, impairing the ability of white blood cells to come to the site of infection, stay in the infected area, and kill microorganisms. Because of the buildup of plaque in blood vessels associated with diabetes, areas of infection may receive poor blood…

Find a Doctor

Call Community Health Net to schedule an appointment with a provider today: (814) 455-7222. Or visit www.communityhealthnet.org for more information.

Our health information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Please be advised that this information is made available to assist the public to learn more about their health. Community Health Net providers may not see and/or treat all topics found herein.

Health Facts is a public service partnership of Community Health Net and CF Cares of Country Fair Stores, Inc.

Stop the Spread of COVID-19! (Cover Your Mouth Video)

Posted on by Community Health Net in

What can you do?

COVID-19 is a real threat, so cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your elbow when coughing or sneezing. It may prevent those around you from getting sick. And remember, if you’ve been in close contact with someone with confirmed COVID-19, Get Tested! Together, we can Stop The Spread.

Look for Symptoms

People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms may have COVID-19:

  • Fever or chills
  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
  • Fatigue
  • Muscle or body aches
  • Headache
  • New loss of taste or smell
  • Sore throat
  • Congestion or runny nose
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • More Information

If you are feeling sick, why not call Community Health Net for influenza and COVID-19 screening at 814-455-7222, or look up your nearest location.

For more information, click this link: https://bit.ly/3jii05I, view our COVID Community Resource Guide, or visit the CDC.

This message brought to you by Community Health Net, Erie County Department of Health, and Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).

Health Insurance Enrollment Event

Posted on by Community Health Net in ,

Free Enrollment Assistance for Insurance, Food Stamps, and Medicaid

If you are in need of assistance, schedule a virtual, telephone, or in-person appointment today!
(Se Habla Espanol)

When:

Monday, November 2, 2020
10:00 am – 12:00 pm

 

Where:

Community Health Net
Main Lobby
1202 State St
Erie, PA  16501

What to Bring:

Valid ID
Paystub / Tax Return
Social Security Number

How to Make an Appointment:

(814) 314-0055 or
(814) 454-4530 x287

Click Here to Download the Event Flyer

Stop the Spread of COVID-19! (Avoid Touching Your Face Video)

Posted on by Community Health Net in

What can you do?

COVID-19 is a real threat, so avoid touching your face!  Germs spread when a person touches something contaminated and then touches their eyes, nose, or mouth.  And remember, if you’ve been in close contact with someone with confirmed COVID-19, Get Tested! Together, we can Stop The Spread.

Look for Symptoms

People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms may have COVID-19:

  • Fever or chills
  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
  • Fatigue
  • Muscle or body aches
  • Headache
  • New loss of taste or smell
  • Sore throat
  • Congestion or runny nose
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • More Information

If you are feeling sick, why not call Community Health Net for influenza and COVID-19 screening at 814-455-7222, or look up your nearest location.

For more information, click this link: https://bit.ly/3jii05I, view our COVID Community Resource Guide, or visit the CDC.

This message brought to you by Community Health Net, Erie County Department of Health, and Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).

Stop the Spread of COVID-19! (Wear a Mask Video)

Posted on by Community Health Net in

What can you do?

COVID-19 is a real threat, so wear a mask…homemade cloth or fabric! Wearing a mask in public is one of the most important steps you can take to stay healthy.  And remember, if you’ve been in close contact (within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes) with someone with confirmed COVID-19, Get Tested! Together, we can Stop The Spread.

Look for Symptoms

People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms may have COVID-19:

  • Fever or chills
  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
  • Fatigue
  • Muscle or body aches
  • Headache
  • New loss of taste or smell
  • Sore throat
  • Congestion or runny nose
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • More Information

If you are feeling sick, why not call Community Health Net for influenza and COVID-19 screening at 814-455-7222, or look up your nearest location.

For more information, click this link: https://bit.ly/3jii05I, view our COVID Community Resource Guide, or visit the CDC.

This message brought to you by Community Health Net, Erie County Department of Health, and Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).

Things to Know This Flu Season

Posted on by Community Health Net in ,

woman with fluThe flu is caused by several influenza viruses (which are not the same as the virus that causes COVID-19). Most flu outbreaks happen in late fall and winter. Getting a flu shot in the autumn can help prevent the virus for the entire flu season. Most people with the flu get better after a few weeks, but they can pass it to other people who are at higher risk of health problems, such as babies, pregnant women, older adults, and people with other serious illnesses. Find out the symptoms of the flu and what to do if you get sick.

If you suspect you may have the flu, or are interested in getting a flu shot, contact Community Health Net by calling (814) 455-7222 today.

You can also check out our COVID-19 Symptom Checker to decide when to see a doctor.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Posted on by Community Health Net in ,

Most breast cancers are found in women who are 50 years old or older. About 10% of all new cases in the United States are found in women younger than 45.

Get the Facts.

  • 62% of breast cancer cases are diagnosed at a localized stage, for which the 5-year survival rate is 99%
  • 1 in 8 women in the United States will develop breast cancer in her lifetime.
  • Female breast cancer represents 15.2% of all new cancer cases in the U.S.
  • Men get breast cancer too. The lifetime risk for U.S men is about 1 in 1,000.

Take Action.

  • Every person should know the symptoms and signs of breast cancer.
  • By performing breast cancer self-exams, you will be able to identify any changes in your breast easily.
  • Look for nipple tenderness, a lump or thickening in or near the breast/underarm area, a change in the skin texture, or an enlargement of pores.
  • Also, look for any unexplained change in the breast’s size or shape, dimpling, swelling, shrinkage, or recent asymmetry.

Additional Symptoms

  • The skin on the breast may dimple or look like an orange peel.
  • A change in the nipple. It may turn in. The skin around it may look scaly.
  • A fluid that comes out of the nipple.

Talk to your doctor about your risk. Find out when to start having mammograms and how often you need one. If your doctor confirms that you have a high or very high risk, ask about ways to reduce your risk, such as getting extra screening, taking medicine, or having surgery.

If you have a strong family history of breast cancer, ask your doctor about genetic testing. The test can check for gene changes that increase your risk of getting breast cancer and ovarian cancer.

Call Community Health Net to schedule an appointment with a provider today: (814) 455-7222. Or visit www.communityhealthnet.org for more information.

Our health information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Please be advised that this information is made available to assist the public to learn more about their health. Community Health Net providers may not see and/or treat all topics found herein.

Health Facts is a public service partnership of Community Health Net and CF Cares of Country Fair Stores, Inc.

September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month

Posted on by Community Health Net in , ,

Ovarian Cancer is known as the deadliest cancer in the US and causes more death than any other cancer of the female reproductive system.

Get the Facts.

Several factors may increase a women’s risk for ovarian cancer, including if you:

  • Have close family members who have had ovarian cancer.
  • Are middle-aged or older.
  • Have genetic mutation called BRCA1 pr BRCA2, or one associated with Lynch syndrome.
  • Have had breast, uterine, or colorectal (colon) cancer.
  • Have endometriosis.
  • Have never given birth or have had trouble getting pregnant.

Symptoms

  • Recent, frequent bloating.
  • Pain in the belly or pelvis.
  • Trouble eating or feeling full quickly.
  • Urinary problems, such as an urgent need to urinate or urinating more often than usual.

These symptoms may be common in women who don’t have ovarian cancer. But if these symptoms are new for you, and they happen almost daily for 2 to 3 weeks, you should see a doctor.

Take Action.

  • Stop smoking! Smoking can increase the risk of certain types of ovarian cancer.
  • Stay fit and eat healthily! Having excess body fat is linked to an increased risk of ovarian cancer.
  • Risks are lower for those having used birth control pills for five or more years.
  • Women who have breastfed for a year or more may have a modestly reduced risk of ovarian cancer.

Treatment

Surgery is the main treatment. The doctor will remove any tumors that he or she can see. This usually means taking out one or both ovaries. It may also mean taking out the Fallopian tubes and uterus. Chemotherapy is often part of treatment. It may be given before and after surgery.

For most women, the chances of getting this cancer are small. It most often affects women who are past menopause. You may be more likely to get it if other women in your family have had it. Also, some women inherit gene changes that increase their chances of getting it. Talking with other women who are going through the same thing may help. Your doctor or your local branch of the American Cancer Society can help you find a support group!

Call Community Health Net to schedule an appointment with a provider today: (814) 455-7222. Or visit www.communityhealthnet.org for more information.

Our health information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Please be advised that this information is made available to assist the public to learn more about their health. Community Health Net providers may not see and/or treat all topics found herein.

Health Facts is a public service partnership of Community Health Net and CF Cares of Country Fair Stores, Inc

phone number