CHIPS > Services > Specialty Care

PSYCHIATRY AND MENTAL HEALTH

A board certified psychiatrist regularly volunteers at CHIPS to provide assessment, diagnosis and pharmacological treatment for adult patients and children age 10 and over that are being seen by one of CHIPS' primary care providers. A mental health nurse practitioner also provides counseling.

ALLERGY AND ASTHMA

A board certified allergy and asthma specialist regularly volunteers to provide assessment, diagnosis and treatment for adults and children seen by one of CHIPS’ primary care providers. Services include allergy skin testing, pulmonary functions testing (spirometry), and pharmaceutical samples to support a particular treatment plan. Patients are regularly assisted with applications to the pharmaceutical companies for no/low cost medications. Once a month, a certified Respiratory Therapist, a volunteer as well, joins this service to provide the spirometry.

DERMATOLOGY

A Dermatologist, also a volunteer, provides services for adults and children who are established patients of one of CHIPS’ primary care providers. She provides in-depth assessment of skin disorders. She regularly works in concert with the patients’ primary care physicians to assure continuity of care.

CHIROPRACTIC

Logan College of Chiropractic physicians provide all members of the family, from children to seniors, a holistic approach to maintain or increase quality of life and ability to age successfully without the use of drugs or surgery. Chiropractic care for children is gentle and effective. Chiropractic physicians can assist with complaints beyond neck and back pain, including issues of carpal tunnel, headaches, fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis and osteoporosis. In addition, doctors of chiropractic educate patients about healthy lifestyle choices including sleeping habits, nutrition and custom exercise regimens.

MAMMOGRAPHY

Mercy Hospital mobile van provides every-other-month mammograms for all women from the community. Women are regularly identified and referred from within CHIPS primary care and specialty services as well as from among women identified at outreach screening events throughout the St. Louis area.

DENTAL

When available, dental services can be provided to established CHIPS patients. Cleaning, fillings and extractions are provided at no cost to patients who have no other source of dental care. Referrals for more extensive services.

HEALTH EDUCATION, REFERRAL AND ADVOCACY

CHIPS nursing staff practice within a community health prevention and health promotion model and as such provide routine managed referral services, follow-up, and advocacy to promote optimum health and access to care for CHIPs patients. Registered nurses assess and triage patients into appropriate services..

CONFIDENTIAL HIV COUNSELING AND TESTING

Through a collaboration with St. Louis Effort for Aids, a certified HIV/AIDS Counselor is based at CHIPS one day a week to assess risk and test CHIPS patients. CHIPS clients can self-refer or be referred by their CHIPS primary care physician or nurse. At this time, CHIPS does not provide walk-in counseling and testing services for the community.

IMMUNIZATIONS

CHIPS participates in the Vaccine for Children (VFC) Program through the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. This program supplies all state and federal mandated childhood vaccines for infants and children through age 18. These vaccines are reserved for our established infant and child population and are done in conjunction with the well-child care provided by CHIPS’ volunteer pediatricians. At this time we are unable to provide regular vaccines (tetanus, whooping cough, pneumonia, herpes zoster) for our clients age 19 and older (however we do provide flu shots--see below).

SEASONAL PROGRAMS (FLU AND H1N1)

Each year we do received limited supplies of influenza vaccine for CHIPS patients. The VFC program supplies flu vaccines for children under 18 years of age. And we are able to access flu vaccine for adults through a local health department. Any special seasonal flu strain vaccines like the 2009-10 H1N1 vaccine are also available to CHIPS patients through special arrangements for vaccine supplies through local health departments.

TB SCREENING

CHIPS provides TB screening (for pre-employment or school health purposes) on a walk-in basis for a small fee for anyone from the community who can afford the $25. CHIPS patients can be tested at any time at no charge based on their physician instructions.

PREGNANCY TESTING

CHIPS provides walk-in pregnancy testing for a small fee for any non-CHIPS client from the community. Established CHIPS patients can receive this service on request at no cost.

MEDICATION SERVICE

The Medication Education Service (MEdS) is a program established through funding from the Missouri Foundation for Health to help our patients better understand their medications and to manage their refills and access to medications to thereby take control and better manage their disease conditions. This program is part of CHIPS Health Literacy services that are intended to empower our patients to live healthier lives through better understanding of their medical and health needs. MEdS is a nurse managed service at CHIPS whereby patients will receive regular and periodic education, counseling, and follow-up on their medication routines.

This activity is financed (in part) through an allocation of Community Development Block Grant funds from the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the City of St. Louis' Community Development Administration.