LOUISVILLE – St. Lawrence Health (SLH) has six regional Primary Care health centers, and is recognizing their success during Community Health Centers Week, Aug. 6-12.

The centers are located in Brasher Falls, Colton, DeKalb Junction, Edwards, Louisville/Massena, and Norfolk.

Louisville Family Health provider Francoise Bansenga, NP, noted she cares for patients of all ages, and the staff makes every patient feel welcome from the moment they walk through the door until the time their appointment is completed.

“Louisville Family Health is a small clinic; however, we have a team that is dedicated to the wellbeing of our patients. Our staff goes above and behind, reaching out to community resources for patients who may need them,” she said.

She pointed out the importance of everyone having a primary care provider, and how the Louisville center, along with all of St. Lawrence Health’s primary care locations, can be the office where patients go for all their primary care appointments. The centers can also be a place for patients to turn if they are unable to get in to see their regular primary care provider.

“Patient can schedule an appointment with Louisville Family Health if their primary care provider’s schedule is full. We can accommodate patients when they need to be seen, or if their provider was out of the office. At the end of the day, it’s about a patient’s right to choose where they want to establish care,” NP Bansenga noted.

“It’s about preventive care, it does not matter if the person is healthy or has chronic conditions; the goal of primary care, in my opinion, is to detect possible health concerns in order to prevent them from becoming serious conditions. And for those who already have chronic conditions, the focus becomes maintenance to prevent worsening of whatever conditions the person has. For that reason, we encourage our patients to have an annual visit with routine laboratory tests, and screenings based on the person’s age and sex; we also encourage immunizations be updated,” she added.

If deemed appropriate for a patient to be referred to a specialist, Ms. Bansenga noted she discusses this recommendation with her patient.

“I may order laboratory tests and imagining before making the referral in order to have as much data as possible. If a referral to a specialist is made, I always advise my patients to maintain their scheduled appointment,” she said.

The staff at each health center wants to assure their patients receive the highest quality of care at a location that is convenient and comfortable for them.

To schedule an appointment with an SLH Community Health Center, contact one of the following:

· Brasher Falls, 899 NY 11C; 315-389-5181

· Colton, 8 Gulf Road; 315-262-2287

· DeKalb Junction, 2924 County Route 17; 315-347-3830

· Edwards, 8 Church Street; 315-562-1055

· Louisville, 10 State Highway 37B; 315-769-4340

· Norfolk, 35 West Main Street; 315-384-4881

For information on all Primary Care Services through SLH, visit https://www.stlawrencehealthsystem.org/Services/Primary-Care.