A drive down National Avenue in the past month may have had residents wondering what was going on behind the Mercy Convenient Care location at 1624 S. National. To accommodate a recent expansion in Occupational Medicine services, Mercy needed additional building space to match.
According to Mercy Regional Marketing/Communications Manager Tina Rockhold, construction on the expansion was completed Friday, July 19th, and staff moved in over that weekend. “Since Tuesday, July 23, Mercy Occupational Medicine has already provided six job assessments on potential co-workers for a local business,” Rockhold said of use of the facility and services. According to a recent Mercy press release, the new addition, which spans 1,2oo square feet, “is dedicated for job ‘fit’ assessments to test workers on their functional skills.”
Of the services that the new expansion makes possible, Eric Baldonado, Mercy Director of Rehabilitation Services said in a recent press release that “Occupational medicine is focused on prevention,” and that Mercy “works side by side with employers to test a potential co-worker on their ability to meet the physical expectations of the job, and that’s just the beginning.” Baldonado also mentioned in the press release that Mercy’s occupational medicine services do contract work with “business and industries to tailor fit occupational medicine needs that will reduce injuries in their specific work environment.”
Mercy Hospital Fort Scott President Reta Baker stated in the press release that Mercy determined the need for the occupational services after holding “conversations with several business leaders in the community.”
According to the press release, services offered at the new location include “medical evaluations such as pre-employment physicals and Fit for Duty’ testing (urine analysis, drug screens and pulmonary function tests)’ therapy services and nationally recognized Work Well TM services. Additional services include on-site vaccinations such as flu shots, job site analysis, education programs and development of functional job descriptions.” Baker said that Mercy had “taken time to assemble a skilled and hughly trained staff to oversee the occupational medicine program,” and that the “team will coordinate care with Mercy Clinic physicians and specialists, registration, lab, imaging and therapy services to provide the full spectrum of occupational medicine services.”
According to Rockhold, the providers and co-workers who comprise the Mercy Occupational Medicine Team are James L. Jordan, MD, Team Consultant, P.K. Gugnani, MD. Medical Director, Jan Boge, APRN, Pamela Moyers, APRN, Leigh Scharff, APRN, Jamie Johnson, PT, Eric Baldonado, PT, Whendi Martin, Admitting Representative, Michelle Bruner, Mercy Clinic Director, Monica Dikeman, PTA and Meghan Woodrum, Radiology Tech, Phlebotomist, Medical Assistant.
Entities interested in contacting Mercy Occupational Medicine should call Whendi Martin at 620-223-8428.