11/10/2014
More than 250 area children are learning healthy habits with the help of a teddy bear. Several schools, libraries and daycare centers in Bristol have partnered with urgent care provider MedExpress to offer Teddy Bear Clinics—a fun and unique concept designed to teach basic health care treatments to pre-school and kindergarten-aged children.
MedExpress’ Teddy Bear Clinic is a free community outreach program that provides hands-on opportunities to learn about splinters, germs, sprains and scrapes.
Staff members from MedExpress lead the clinics that include a song about hand washing, learning what doctors and radiologists do, taking mock X-rays and applying Band-Aids and ace bandages. After their lesson, students receive an official Teddy Bear Clinic certificate.
“Our kids get to treat their special Teddy Bear patient with the help of a MedExpress health care professional,” said Michelle Page, Children’s Librarian at the Bristol Public Library. “By becoming more familiar with people who work in the medical field, we hope they’ll be more comfortable during their next visit to a doctor or an urgent care center.”
“The Teddy Bear Clinics have been well received by our partners, children and their parents,” said Christina Hendricks, Center Manager, MedExpress. “They are a great way to immediately remove the fear out of going to a doctor by allowing the child to become the doctor themselves while also learning healthy habits.”
If your organization is interested in scheduling a MedExpress Teddy Bear Clinic, please contact Christina Hendricks, Bristol MedExpress Center Manager by calling 423-844-0026. The Bristol MedExpress is located at 2686 West State Street and open every day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
MedExpress is a proud partner of schools and charitable organizations throughout the region. The Bristol center plays an important role in the community’s health care, offering urgent care, wellness and prevention and occupational health services. The center works to coordinate care with other area health care providers to ensure patients always receive the most appropriate follow-up care.