Getting Healthy for Free

A free health-care program, Heartland OK, is available at the Sequoyah County Health Department in Sallisaw.

The program monitors and helps control blood pressure, helps patients quit smoking and maintain a healthy weight by eating a healthy diet and exercising.

It’s called Heartland OK and was designed to help reduce the number of deaths by heart attack and stroke. According to the Oklahoma Department of Health over 9,000 Oklahomans die from heart disease each year, which is about five deaths per day. 

Heartland OK works to reduce patients’ risk for heart disease and stroke through care coordination. The project promotes the ABCS of Heart Health:

-Aspirin as directed by your healthcare professional

-Blood pressure control

-Cholesterol management

-Smoking cessation

-Coordination of Care

With the coordination of care between medical providers and Sequoyah County Health Department, this program enhances the reduction in heart disease by monitoring the blood pressure of patients during initiation of treatment or continued treatment of uncontrolled chronic high blood pressure, facilitate adherence to medication recommendations and connect patients to lifestyle management and preventive care services located within the community.

To participate the patient –

-must be between 18 and 85 years old;

-must be newly diagnosed and placed on diuretic and/or antihypertensive medications or

-previously diagnosed, on/or prescribed medication, but not controlled.

The plan includes free blood pressure checks every Friday at the Sequoyah County Health Department in Sallisaw, the Quit-Smoking program, healthy-diet recommendations, and exercise which includes the free exercise program at the health department.

The Sequoyah County Health Department shares all information with the patient’s doctor. 

Coordinating the program at the health department are Kristye Adams, RN, and Michelle Campbell, Community Health Worker.

For more information contact Campbell at 918-775-6201.

Sally Maxwell, Senior News Director

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