Gilmer County International Travel Clinic provides total travel health services
International travel continues to grow exponentially; and, while planning for foreign vacations, business trips, family visits, response to disaster, mission trips and other international expeditions, travelers must prepare for possible exposure to various diseases. This is especially vital when voyaging to developing areas of the world where visits were once rare. Generally, the risk of becoming ill during international travel depends on the region visited, but, also, it depends on other factors such as age, health condition, length of stay and the activities planned. New or reemerging infectious diseases rarely seen currently in this part of the world may put the traveler at risk if exposed.
![Travel Clinic staff](/images/travel-staff.jpg)
According to client surveys, customer satisfaction with the clinic has been high, partly because of the unusually prompt time in which appointments are scheduled, as opposed to weeks-long waiting lists at some travel clinics; but, also, as reflected in the comment section of the surveys, clients consider the Gilmer County International Travel Clinic and its staff to provide, 'high quality care, knowledge and professionalism', 'country-specific information', 'very thorough and extremely helpful' service, and 'friendly, convenient' care.
Although appointments can be arranged within days, travelers are encouraged to schedule a pre-travel clinic appointment at least 2 months prior to any international travel departure. This would provide enough time to receive immunizations and to begin building immunity to diseases that may be encountered on a particular journey.
Jack and Trisha Senterfitt of Ellijay, GA receive international travel health services from Katherine Meyer, Manager of the Gilmer County International Travel Clinic, part of the Gilmer County Health Department in Ellijay. Pleased with the "thorough, professional and responsive care" they received at the clinic, they are particularly happy they were able to arrange an immediate appointment. The Senterfitts are preparing to visit their son, Jeremy Senterfitt, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where he teaches English to children at the Hilltops Academy. Jeremy has also enlisted the services of the Gilmer County International Travel Clinic.
Services are provided on a sliding fee scale based on income.
Services:
Prenatal Services
Offers examinations to pregnant women (laboratory work and nutritional counseling and education).
Family Planning Services
Provides birth control information, exams, and birth control methods to interested persons.
Presumptive Eligibility
Provides Medicaid coverage to income-eligible pregnant women during the Medicaid application processing period.
Perinatal Case Management
Provides a person to person approach which weaves together resources, including health and social services, for pregnant women to allow for healthy pregnancies resulting in healthy babies.
Babies Can't Wait/Child Tracking Program
Identifies and follows high-risk infants and children and provides a coordinated approach to health care for them.
Well Baby
Provides complete physical examinations to children from infancy to 6 years of age including screening tests, immunizations, and nutritional counseling.
Health Checks
Provides screening of medical and/or developmental problems for Medicaid-eligible children from infancy to 20 years of age.
Newborn Screening
Provides metabolic blood tests to assess for metabolic abnormalities that can cause mental retardation and other permanent disorders.
Dental Clinic
Provides dental services for children
Breast and Cervical Cancer Program
The Breast and Cervical Cancer Program provides screening and follow up services to low income, uninsured/underinsured women throughout Georgia who meet eligibility requirements.
Stroke and Heart Attack Prevention Program
Provides blood pressure screening, education, monitoring, treatment, and follow-up.
Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
This program is a special nutrition program that provides nutrition education, food supplements and referrals to health care providers to eligible pregnant, breastfeeding or postpartum women, infants, and children up to age five.
Children's Medical Services
Serves children from birth to 21 years of age by providing various medical needs. Persons can be referred by physicians or public health nurses. Specialty clinics such as diabetes, seizure, hearing, cardiac, and orthopedics are provided.
Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) Services
Provides physical examinations, lab tests, and treatment of STDs, as well as follow-up for identified cases. Also provides AIDS testing and counseling services.
Services for Healthier Communities:
General Nursing Services
Provides immunizations, blood tests, hearing, vision, dental screening, tuberculosis screening and pregnancy tests.
Immunizations
Provides immunizations for all ages with an emphasis on adequate immunization in infants up to two years of age.
On-site Immunization Clinics
Provides on-site vaccinations to employee groups.
Child Safety Seat checks and fittings
*For more information on any of the services mentioned above contact the Gilmer County Health Department.