Public health board discuss future of Winfield, Wayland immunization clinics

By Bryce Kelly, Mt. Pleasant News

Henry County Public Health immunization clinics held in the Wayland and Winfield communities may not be available much longer, according to Henry County Public Health officials.

?We have been going to those clinics twice a month, and we are really looking at the cost-effectiveness of doing that,? said Patti Sallee, Henry County Public Health Director.

Sallee presented the recent statistics on the number of patients being immunized at both of those outreach clinics during a recent Henry County Board of Health meeting. According to Sallee, the utilization of those clinics has been drastically low, with some months only seeing a maximum of three patients.

?I think I would like to propose that we not go there anymore, but I am still working on a cost analysis report for that,? she said.

Currently, the public health department does visit every county public school to do regular immunizations as needed, which Sallee says will not be cancelled. As for better promoting the Winfield and Wayland clinics, she says the department has already done ample promotion of the clinics, which have yielded few results.

?We as a county usually send an RN and a clerical person to these clinics, and it?s just not real cost-effective to send employees to these places for very little to no patients,? said Sallee, adding both employees are also paid mileage for their travel to and from the clinics. ?And when our employees are there, they can?t do other work-related tasks, which takes away from the other services we provide at the public health department.?

The board agreed that if the cost to host the clinics is outweighing the overall participation, the decision to cancel those clinics may be wise.

?We have been marketing for these clinics for awhile, but if there isn?t a need for it right now, then that?s just the way it is,? said board member Rose Lauer. ?It?s too bad, as I think we all thought that it would be a very successful outreach.?

Sallee will continue to crunch numbers before officially canceling the clinics in Winfield and Wayland. More information regarding the topic will likely be presented during next month?s board meeting, according to Sallee.

In other board discussion, it was moved to mandate that monthly reports on food-related health inspections done in Henry County be given to the board for review on a monthly basis. According to state regulation, the Lee County Public Health Department currently inspects all food establishments in Henry County.

As approved by the board, Lee County will now be required to send a digital health inspection report to Sallee every month for board review, and an official from the Lee County Health Department will be asked to be present during a Henry County Board of Health meeting at least once every quarter.

The next Henry County Board of Health meeting will be held on June 27 at 12:30 p.m., in the Henry County Public Health Conference Room at the Henry County Health Center.