Mobile clinic provides free health screenings and advice during stop at Round Lake library

The Community Care Connection mobile clinic made its monthly stop in the Round Lake Area Public Library parking lot Thursday to provide free health screenings and dispense some friendly medical advice.

The mobile unit, operated by Rosalind Franklin University Health System in North Chicago, is open for three hours to provide free heart health screenings, including blood pressure, blood sugar/diabetes, cholesterol, and BMI (body mass index).

University officials said their program is based on everyone having access to a medical home - somewhere they can go for a primary care physician. The clinic refers people to several options where they can see a doctor, officials said.

"We know they will have better health outcomes if they go to a primary care physician," said Michael Smith, the Community Care Connection coordinator at Rosalind Franklin University.

Some facilities they refer people to include Lake County Health Reach, Lake County Health Department and the student-run free clinic at Rosalind Franklin University, which is open every Thursday.

"That's the basis of our program. Screen the patient, help them find a medical home and make sure they get into a local facility so they can receive care," Smith said.