First Responder Early Screening for Health
Over the course of several days in May, Sindecuse Health Center, in partnership with WMU faculty members, is providing early detection health screenings for area first responders. Participants will receive comprehensive exams and diagnostic tests to assess physical capability in relation to service for their communities. Four Kalamazoo area fire departments are participating in May 2024.
The health center is partnering with faculty from the Colleges of Health and Human Services and Education and Human Development for diagnostic fitness tests.
HOW TO PREPARE FOR THE VISIT
The department fire chief or their designee will distribute a welcome letter to participants. It will contain instructions for logging into the health center’s patient portal to create an account. All participants will complete a health history questionnaire, surveys, and consent forms before arriving. We estimate it will take 30 to 40 minutes to complete. Some of these forms will not be available until 24 hours before the visit while others will be available earlier. Plan to complete these prior to your first appointment.
You can return to the patient portal here:
Two screening days
Participants will be scheduled to complete screenings over two days.
On the first appointed visit, participants will be screened for a comprehensive set of factors. These include a physical exam, hearing, vision, and cardiac fitness. Diagnostic tests will be run—EKG, spirometry and a chest X-ray.
The first day is expected to last two to three hours. Return visits will be shorter if only a lab draw is scheduled.
On the return visit, participants will have fasted for 12 hours to prepare for the tests and return with a stool sample. All will have a blood sample drawn and some participants will have an ultrasound exam to complete the series. Visits with an ultrasound may last up to 2 hours from start to finish.
The providers
Health care professionals from Sindecuse Health Center and the Colleges of Health and Human Services and Education and Human Development will conduct the exams and diagnostic tests. A team from Ultrasound Diagnostics will conduct ultrasound exams in week 2.
If you are fasting for a second visit, you should limit your intake to water only for 12 hours prior to your appointment. Instructions for ultrasound visits will be sent to the participant via email by the provider, Ultrasound Diagnostics.
What to bring
Participants will need a photo ID to be checked in to the appointment. A valid driver's license or U.S. passport is acceptable.
Parking
The health center’s gated parking lot is available for use. If the gated parking lot is full and you need to park in an adjacent lot, alert staff when you arrive. We have a temporary permit to place in your window while you are here. WMU is a tobacco-free campus.
Directions
Checking in
After entering the lobby, look for a helpful registration person to get started. Completing the required documents ahead of time is required.
Contact
If you have questions about your eligibility or assignment to receive these exams, contact your site administrator—usually the department chief.
If you have questions about completing the required documents or attending the exams, contact Sindecuse Health Center at (269) 387-3287.
Once you have an account in the patient portal, you may also send a secure message to a nurse. Log in to the portal and navigate to the “Messages” menu item. Start a New Message and select the nurse option as the recipient. We use secure messaging, so you will be sent an email and a link to log in when a message has been answered.