Closer to Home. Kipnuk and Kwethluk celebrate new clinic openings. INSIDE: Hooper SRC, p 3 Recipe, p. 4 Disaster Drill, p. 10 CEO of Year, p.

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1 Volume XII No. 9 September 15, 2007 Closer to Home Kipnuk and Kwethluk celebrate new clinic openings Kipnuk Elders David Paul and Paul Kiunya get ready to cut the ribbon to open the new clinic in Kipnuk. Kipnuk Tribal Council Vice President Tim Samson, YKHC Vice President for Support Services Greg McIntyre, and Denali Commission Deputy Health Facilities Program Manager Kathy Berzanske join the ceremony. More on pages 6 7. INSIDE: Hooper SRC, p 3 Recipe, p. 4 Disaster Drill, p. 10 CEO of Year, p. 12

2 YKHC Board of Directors Unit 1 Raymond F. Waska, Sr. P.O. Box 46 Emmonak, Alaska Paula Ayunerak P.O. Box 5 Alakanuk, Alaska Unit 2 Ray Alstrom P.O. Box 8 Marshall, Alaska James C. Landlord P.O. Box Mt. Village, AK Unit 3 Seat Vacant Angela Morgan P.O. Box 243 Aniak, Alaska Unit 4 James Nicori P.O. Box 41 Kwethluk, Alaska Moses Peter P.O. Box 57 Tuluksak, Alaska Unit 5 Bill Kristovich P.O. Box 1037 Bethel, Alaska /2212 Henry Hunter, Sr. P.O. Box 632 Bethel, Alaska Gloria Simeon P.O. Box 308 Bethel, Alaska Joseph C. Bavilla P.O. Box 6011 Napaskiak, Alaska Unit 6 Esai Twitchell, Jr. P.O. Box 121 Kasigluk, Alaska Unit 7 David O. David PO Box 78 Kwigillingok, Alaska Unit 8 Numbers to Call James R. Charlie, Sr. P.O. Box Toksook Bay, Alaska James Sipary P.O. Box Toksook Bay, Alaska YKHC Main Operator Toll Free Public Relations Media Services Office of Environmental Health & Engineering Technology Help Desk Human Resources Administration Hospital Emergency Room Hospital Community Relations Social Services Family Medicine Clinic Appointments Dental Appointments Optometry Appointments Audiology Appointments Unit 9 Elmer G. Simon P.O. Box 64 Hooper Bay, Alaska Moses J. Tulim P.O. Box 130 Chevak, Alaska Unit 10 Sam W. Alexie P.O. Box 57 Eek, Alaska Unit 11 Kathy W. Chase P.O. Box 41 Holy Cross, Alaska Honorary Board Member Paul John P.O. Box Toksook Bay, Alaska l4 Subregional Clinic Appointments Aniak Emmonak St. Mary s Toksook Bay Public Health Nursing Pharmacy Travel Management Center WIC Program Health Services Village Operations CHAP ICEMS Community Health & Wellness Behavioral Health Services Phillips Ayagnirvik Village Services Home Care Services

3 YKHC Board & Committee Meetings 2007 September Governing Body October 23 Finance Committee Executive Board October, Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN), Fairbanks November 13 Finance Committee November Full Board December 18 Finance Committee December Executive Board Messenger to print quarterly After this issue, the YKHC Messenger will be printed quarterly rather than monthly. Every boxholder in the Delta, and many of our friends and partners throughout the state and the nation, will receive the Messenger in December, March, June and September. The new printed version will have more indepth articles on YKHC s recent accomplishments and future plans. We will also report on new developments within each of our Napartet Pillars Native Workforce Development, Patient-Centered Excellence, Employee Focus, Financial Viability and Community & Partner Satisfaction. The Messenger will still be published monthly on our website, as web pages and as a downloadable pdf. To receive a monthly notification when the online Messenger is published, just go to our website homepage and click on the link to Subscribe to the Messenger. State Senator visits Hooper Bay SRC project Hooper Bay residents welcomed Alaska State Senator Donnie Olson during a special visit to observe construction progress of the new subregional clinic. Volume XII No. 9 September 15, 2007 State Senator Donnie Olson congratulates Sea Lion Corporation General Manager William Naneng as construction gets underway at the new subregional clinic in Hooper Bay. Olson toured the village with Elmer Simon, YKHC Board Member and Tribal Administrator for Hooper Bay Tribal Council; William Naneng, General Manager of Sea Lion Corporation; Gene Peltola, YKHC President/CEO; and other community leaders on Thursday, August 30. The yearlong construction project began late this summer with local residents in the workforce. The clinic is expected to open in October of Olson welds a cap on one of the foundation It will be YKHC s fifth subregional pilings. (photos by Bob Herron) clinic, joining Toksook Bay, St. Mary s, Emmonak and Aniak. During the past legislative session, Senator Olson was instrumental in initiating a $1 million appropriation to finish funding for construction of the 14,000 square foot clinic, totaling $8.1 million. The multi-skilled Senator, who is also a licensed physician, even welded the last piling cap on the steel piling foundation installation. Without this last one million dollar appropriation, Hooper Bay s subregional clinic project may have been delayed for several months, said Gene Peltola, YKHC President/CEO. The finishing weld on the foundation is an exclamation point to the hard work of our State Senators, including Senate Finance Co-Chair Lyman Hoffman who continues to address the health needs of our region. Olson and Hoffman serve on the State Finance Committee. With a population of more than 1,000 residents, Hooper Bay is the largest and fastest growing community in the Yukon-Kuskokwim region. The clinic will serve the surrounding villages of Scammon Bay and Chevak, providing patient care services that include preventative and urgent care, diagnostic review, physical exams, prenatal care, minor surgery, laboratory tests, X-rays, and medications. In addition, a six-unit housing complex for staff will be located next to the clinic. The Messenger is a monthly publication produced by the Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation as a report to Tribal Members. For questions, comments, submission of articles, or subscription information, write to Messenger Editor, Public Relations, Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation, P.O. Box 528, Bethel, Alaska messenger@ykhc.org. Deadline is the last day of the month preceding publication. Publication is on the 15th of every month. Anchorage Office: 4700 Business Park Blvd. Suite E25, Anchorage, Alaska Please ask permission to reprint articles or pictures. 2007, Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation.

4 Great Grains! September is whole grains month by Annette Coyle, RD, LD, Clinical Diabetes Educator A whole grain contains all three parts of the grain the bran, germ and endosperm. Whole grains are higher in fiber, vitamins and minerals than are refined grains. A diet rich in whole grains can help reduce the chance of heart disease. A diet high in soluble fiber can reduce cholesterol. Oatmeal is an excellent source of soluble fiber. Good sources of whole grains are oatmeal, brown rice, whole wheat breads, whole grain cereals, and popcorn. You can find unusual grains in many grocery stores or they can be ordered from specialty stores. The Whole Grains Council has tips to help us increase the amount of whole grains we eat. Here are some of their tips with a Delta twist. Buy or bake three different loaves of whole-grain bread this month and see which ones you and your family like the best. Use barley or brown rice in moose soup instead of macaroni. Try some whole wheat spaghetti in bird soup. Ask your local store to stock more whole grain items. Make pancakes with whole wheat flour and invite your neighbor to share them. (Top them with fresh blueberries!) When making assaliaq try substituting whole wheat flour for part of the white flour. (Cook the fry bread in canola oil.) Look for the Whole Grain Stamp when buying breakfast cereal and crackers. Use oats instead of breadcrumbs in meatloaf. Explore the Internet for recipes using whole grains. The Quaker Oatmeal Company offers the following recipe for muffins on their website Blueberry Oat Muffins 1 cup Quaker Oats (quick cooking or old fashioned, uncooked) 1 cup lowfat buttermilk* 2 egg whites ½ teaspoon grated lemon peel 1 cup all-purpose flour 3 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda 1 cup fresh blueberries *If you do not have buttermilk, substitute sour milk, plain yogurt or sour cream. To make sour milk, add 1 tablespoon of vinegar to 1 cup of milk and let it sit for 5 minutes. Heat oven to 400º F. Lightly spray 12 medium muffin cups with cooking spray. In a medium bowl combine oats and buttermilk; mix well. Let stand 10 minutes. Stir in egg whites, margarine and lemon peel until blended. In a large bowl, combine remaining ingredients except berries; mix well. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients; stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. (Do not over mix.) Gently stir in berries. Fill muffin cups almost full. Bake minutes or until golden brown. Cool muffins in pan on wire rack 5 minutes; remove from pan. Meet the Gregs of Diabetes by Annette Coyle, RD LD, Clinical Diabetes Educator The Diabetes Prevention and Control Program is pleased to welcome two new Outreach Coordinators Greg Moses and Greg Simmons. A Native of the Delta, Greg Moses grew up in Mekoryuk and Bethel. He has a BS in Secondary Physical Education from Fort Lewis College. After working for Alaska Community Services in the Elder Mentor Program, Greg returned to Bethel. He says, My family and I are very glad Greg Moses Greg Simmons to be back to renew relationships with all our friends and to begin new relationships with others. Greg Simmons has lived in Bethel for four years. With a Master s Degree in Counseling from Indiana University, he has provided behavioral health services both in the lower 48 and with YKHC. He has a strong interest in working with communities to maintain and improve overall wellness in a variety of forms. His family is expecting their second child in September. We are excited to have Greg and Greg as new members of the Diabetes Prevention and Control Team. Call Diabetes Prevention & Control: or ext Subscribe to the Messenger VISIT OUR WEBSITE

5 Allison Jenkins joins YKHC Nursing Staff By Nancy Widrig Allison Jenkins, RN, joined the YKHC nursing staff in May after completing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing at the University of Alaska Anchorage, School of Nursing. Volume XII No. 9 September 15, 2007 I always knew that I would end up in the healthcare field, said Jenkins, who currently works night shift in the Inpatient unit where she enjoys working with elders. Nursing is very rewarding; helping people to recover or feel better, seeing the results of what you re doing for them is rewarding. Jenkins previously worked at Inpatient as an aide one summer using her Yup ik language skills to translate for patients. A lot of people pushed me to go further, said Jenkins, recalling that summer and pointing out the importance of communication and of understanding the people served. The pride that Jenkins saw in her patients motivated her to pursue a four-year degree and return as a registered nurse. She would like to see more local nurses at YKHC. Jenkins is the daughter of Forrest and Sophie Jenkins of Napaskiak. She transferred to Mt. Edgcumbe at Sitka for her senior year of high school before attending UAA. Even in school I received a lot of support in the nursing program through RRANN, Recruitment and Retention of Alaska Natives into Nursing, she said. In addition to RRANN, the YKHC Physician Assistant and Healthcare Professionals Education Loan Forgiveness Program has been a proud supporter of Jenkins in her pursuit toward the nursing profession and congratulates her for following her dream. She is certainly a role model for all of our young folks, said Ruth Wally Richardson, PA Committee Member and YKHC Native Hire and Employment Manager. On behalf of the PA Program and all those who have followed your success, congratulations and welcome aboard Allison! Allison Jenkins, RN. WE HEAR YOU! Press Ganey Surveys help make positive changes Many families receive Press Ganey surveys in the mail after their visit to YKHC. If you receive one, please take time to fill it out and send it back in the envelope provided, even if you had a pleasant experience. When surveys are sent back we are able to make changes that improve the care that you get at your hospital. On recently returned surveys OB found that many of the new moms felt uncomfortable with people popping into their room delivering meals or picking up trays. We responded by changing the way meals are delivered! Now your nurse will be bringing you your trays. We understand that it is the small things as well as the quality medical care that make YKHC the superb hospital that it is. Our goal is to make your experience the very best it can be. Thank you for your input. Be Prepared Get Your Flu Shot! by Lori Pruitt, BSN RN, YKHC Infection Control Nurse The flu season will soon be here. Getting a flu shot is the best way to keep from getting the flu. The flu shot is recommended for children 6 months to 5 years old, elders 65 years and older, and health care workers. It is also recommended for adults with health care problems and women who are pregnant. Each year, it is estimated that 36,000 people die from the flu. Children are affected more than adults. Getting the flu shot each year will help prevent the spread of the flu. People ask if you can get the flu from taking the flu shot. The flu vaccine cannot give you the flu. But, you may already have a cold or the flu when you get the shot and not know it; then, you may have symptoms after you get the flu shot. Symptoms of the flu include fever, myalgia (feeling achy), headache, malaise (feeling tired), nonproductive cough, sore throat, and a runny nose. YKHC offers the flu shot each year. Bethel Public Health Nursing also offers it. We will begin giving the flu shots as early as the last week in September. The next time you see your provider, ask for a flu shot! Or, make an appointment just to get your flu shot! You will decrease your chance of getting the flu by percent after receiving your flu shot. And, you will decrease the risk of passing it on to others. This will help us be the healthiest people!

6 Delta Villages celebrate new health clinics Senator Murkowski joins Kwethluk celebration Senator Lisa Murkowski joined the Kwethluk community for a special ribbon cutting ceremony, hallmarking the opening of the Betty Guy Memorial Clinic. The new health facility has been named in honor of Betty Guy who was a volunteer medicine distributor during the tuberculosis epidemic. Soon after, she became the first Health Aide for Kwethluk. She is remembered as a health professional role model to the Alaska Native people. Mrs. Guy passed away in September This new clinic is a shining example of the spirit and determination that makes things happen in Alaska, said Senator Murkowski. I am honored to have joined with the community of Kwethluk to dedicate this beautiful new facility to the blessed memory of Betty Guy. The 3,200 square foot facility features exam rooms, a dentistry office, sleepover quarters, a behavioral health office, pharmacy room, waiting area, bathrooms and an office. I love it! exclaimed Elena Alexie, Health Aide for nearly 20 years. It makes me feel more comfortable and I know my patients will feel more comfortable. There is a lot more room and we have an emergency room now. In partnership with the Kwethluk IRA Council, who received approximately $2.2 million dollars in grants from the Denali Commission, Housing and Urban Development and the Indian Health Service, YKHC began construction in This has been a long awaited opening and a much needed service YKHC President/CEO Gene Peltola and U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski hold the ribbon for Phillip Guy, son of Betty Guy, for whom the new cilnic is named. The clinic is named for pioneer Health Aide Betty Guy, who passed away in (Photo by James H. Barker.) There s nothing like a new clinic opening to bring out the community. for our patients, said Gene Peltola, President/CEO for YKHC. We are meeting the needs of our patients and working towards excellence in health care. The village of Kwethluk is located along the Kuskokwim River with a population of more than 700.

7 Many well-wishers from the community and beyond joined in to open the new Kipnuk clinic and tour the facility. Sam Carl and his son help bring food to the clinic opening celebration. Volume XII No. 9 September 15, 2007 Building partnerships builds clinic in Kipnuk A collaborative effort that began in 2006 between the Kipnuk Tribal Council and YKHC has borne fruit this month with the opening of a new health clinic. Kipnuk elders David Paul and Paul Kiunya cut the ribbon in a community celebration Sept. 5. For many years, Kipnuk Community Health Aides envisioned a larger clinic that held more exam rooms to handle patient flow more efficiently and better serve patient care needs. The new clinic features exam rooms, a dentistry office, traveling specialist sleeping quarters, behavioral health office, a pharmacy room, waiting area, bathrooms and an office. Our congratulations to you and the Kipnuk community along with your many design and construction partners on the successful completion of your clinic, said George Cannelos, Denali Commision Co-Chair. This is truly a testimony to the hard work and partnership of all those concerned. YKHC and the Kipnuk Tribal Council partnered together to initiate funding and construction for the new 3,200 square foot facility. Kipnuk Tribal Council received grants from the Denali Commission in the amount of $1,688,632, a matching grant from HUD in the amount of $198,215, and an Indian Health Service Medical Equipment grant in the amount of $306,328. The village of Kipnuk has a population of nearly 700 and is located on the west bank of the Kugkaktlik River, 85 miles southwest of Bethel, and four miles inland from the Bering Sea Coast. The new facility is a big improvement over the old Kipnuk clinic. Health Aide Supervisor/Instructor Martha Attie with Health Services Vice President Jack Robert Crow.

8 Studies have shown eating five or more servings of fruits and vegetables every day will significantly reduce the risks of some chronic medical ailments like cancer, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension and of course, also help in weight control. To make it easier to get the 5-a-Day, the produce industry has expanded their offerings to include pre-washed, pre-cut fresh fruits and vegetables and often in individual packages. Here are some quick tips to get your 5-a-Day. Cut up a large assortment of raw vegetables every few days and store in the fridge for a quick snack. Get a bag of baby carrots and try dipping them in a low-fat ranch dressing while you watch TV. BCS grants Yuut for DHAT Program Yuut Elitnaurvait was awarded a $108,000 grant to provide a temporary dental facility for the Dental Health Aide Therapist Program. This facility will allow Yuut Elitnaurvait to provide clinical space for the first Alaska trained Dental Health Aide Therapists. Construction is underway on a permanent facility. Yuut Elitnaurvait is in a unique position of being able to provide clinical training space to the Dental Health Aide Therapist program. The program is operated by ANTHC and the University of Washington. BCS Foundation joins a large collaboration of foundations and agencies supporting this program. The BCS Foundation is dedicated to the development, growth, continuance and enhancement of community based programs and services. Cut Fat Through 5-A-Day Use fruit as an appealing edible garnish oranges or grilled nectarine halves to compliment lean beef, sliced peaches on grilled skinless chicken, grapes with fish, sliced apricots with turkey, or pineapple spears with lean pork. Think fruit (fresh, canned or frozen) as a topping on cereal in the morning or low-fat, frozen yogurt at night. Heat canned peaches or apricots to spoon over pancakes instead of syrup. Dip apple slices into low-fat vanilla yogurt. Top angel food cake with frozen raspberries or blueberries. Freeze pureed fruits and juices to make popsicles, juice bars and colorful ice cubes for refreshing summertime snacks. Try a glass of orange juice with pieces of fresh or juice-packed pineapple. Mix cranberry juice with a splash of apricot nectar for a tart, tangy drink. Add extra vegetables such as sprouts, lettuce, tomato, sweet pepper or cucumbers to sandwiches. Slice carrots, bell peppers or mushrooms into a pasta sauce. Throw some green and yellow zucchini into your next stir fry. Toss a bunch of broccoli into homemade potato soup. Think fruit for snacks and high energy pick-me-ups, everything from bananas to fruit smoothies. Whip up smoothies by blending low-fat frozen yogurt with frozen fruit and fruit juice. Environmental Health Officer of the Year Join us on September 18 for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder hosted by Spruce Lynch with guest Shane Welch,YKHC FAS Coordinator. RADIO CALL-IN SHOW Coming to you the third Tuesday of every month at 11 a.m. on KYUK AM 640 Congratulations to Jennifer Dobson who recevied the statewide Environmental Health Officer of the Year Award from the Alaska Environmental Health Association. Jennifer has been working for YKHC s Office of Environmental Health for two years and is doing a remarkable job! Congratulations Jennifer!

9 Cigarette additives may make it rougher to quit A recent study helps to elucidate the effects of the nearly 600 additives that might be found in cigarettes. Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles examined a list of cigarette additives provided by the tobacco industry in While it remains unclear how many of these additives are included in cigarettes on the market today, the researchers concluded that 100 out of the 599 analyzed are potentially harmful. Their effects include facilitating nicotine delivery to the lungs, numbing the lungs to reduce the need for smokers to cough, increasing the potency of the nicotine already found in cigarettes, and disguising the secondhand smoke released by cigarettes. To read more about the study, which will be published in the September edition of the American Journal of Public Health, click here. Smokeless tobacco: Unsafe alternative A recent study provides additional evidence that switching to smokeless tobacco as a way to minimize the health effects of tobacco is a risky strategy. Researchers combined data from six studies, which included 420 smokers and 182 smokeless tobacco users, all of whom were trying to decrease their tobacco use. They compared the levels of various carcinogens in participants urine samples, and found that the smokeless tobacco users had equal or higher amounts of these particular carcinogens. Click here to read more or click here to view the abstract of the study, which is published in the August edition of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. Quitting on impulse may be smokers best bet Recent research has demonstrated that smokers who quit spontaneously had a greater likelihood of success than those who planned a quit attempt. Researchers compared the experiences of 918 smokers who had made at least one quit attempt with those of 996 former smokers. They found that almost half of smokers reported that their most recent quit attempt was spontaneous, and that the odds of quitting Multiple Choice Tobacco Quiz Mark the appropriate box Smoker s Lung Esophageal Adenocarcinoma NONE OF THE ABOVE I QUIT! It s your choice. We can help you stick to it. YKHC Nicotine Control & Research or see TOBACCO, p. 11 Leukokplakia Hairy Tongue Working Together to Achieve Excellent Health Volume XII No. 9 September 15, 2007 Prescriptions are only for Patients As a pharmacy team, we continually strive to make sure that the right medications go to the right patients all the time. We dispense many different types of medications. Some medications help weak hearts, others are used for diabetes. Antibiotics fight infections, and pain medications are used to help patients in pain function normally and have a higher quality of life. Occasionally we receive reports that patients who are not suffering from pain are getting pain medicines from doctors or other patients by various means. We are trying our hardest to prevent this from happening. Federal law PROHIBITS the transfer of drugs to any person other than the patient for whom it was prescribed. This message can be found on your prescription labels. If patients do this they run the risk of possibly becoming addicted, losing their jobs, going to jail and in extreme cases even dying. Nothing good can come of this kind of activity. It isn t good for the individual, the individual s family, or the community. This is definitely something that we wish to prevent from happening. We, in the pharmacy, are doing everything we can to take the necessary steps to help stop the flow of these potentially harmful medications from entering the community to be used for any kind of activity other than treating pain. However, we can t do it alone. We need the help of everyone. This doesn t just mean doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other hospital staff. This includes everyone who has an interest in seeing our communities thrive. If you know of people abusing, stealing, selling, or buying pain medications the best thing you can do to help prevent this from happening is to contact the authorities. The W.A.A.N.T (Western Alaska Alcohol and Narcotics Team) are trained to help keep our communities safe from this type of behavior. Their contact information is: (office) or Tip Hotline The information that you give may remain anonymous if you so desire. Any help that we receive in this endeavor will be greatly appreciated. Thank you. YKHC Pharmacy Team

10 10 Hospital runs drill for emergency response On the morning of Wednesday, August 29th, the YKHC Infectious Disease Outbreak Team conducted a local pandemic influenza emergency response drill to test preparedness levels at the Bethel Hospital. The drill allowed personnel to walk through an emergency situation, activate the corporate Emergency Management System, test communication abilities, simulate Dave Evans, RN; Healther Hamblin, RN; Respiratory Therapist Sandy Blackmon; and Kathy Smith, LPN, confer about their response to a mock disease outbreak at the Emergency Room. Sandy Blackmon has a word with Medical Director Dr. Joe Klejka. EMT Insturctor Bill O Brien, center, brings volunteer patient Mary Weiss into the Emergency Room. staffing shortages, and patient flow. The drill was both challenging and frustrating, said Dr. Joe Klejka, Corporate Medical Director. It allowed us to identify our strengths and weaknesses and improve our emergency response. As the only regional health care facility serving nearly 30,000 people, it is vital that we are prepared to respond to any emergency situation that may affect our ability to provide health care services, said Health Services Vice President Jack Robert Crow. As a Joint Commission Accredited Health Care Organization it is our responsibility to prepare for an emergency, or disaster at our hospital, by regularly conducting exercises to test our emergency response. Thanks to volunteers who assisted in the drill: Danica Broerman Julia Street Mary Devlin Sally Abbott Christopher Samuelson Lela Andrew Mary Weiss Cher Wilson Evelina Achee Gracie Nelson Kelsey Hustedt Brek Steele Jennifer Dobson Tim Struna, PHN McCann Center Youth COB EMT Staff: Darby Shaw, Louise Russell and Bill Howell Rachelle White, RN, and Social Worker Carol Baughman move volunteer patient Mary Devlin to the Inpatient Unit. TOBACCO, from p. 9 successfully for at least six months were higher for unplanned attempts. The authors suggest that understanding these seemingly contradictory results lies with considering differences in motivation and the tension that may build up prior to a quit attempt. from: Tobacco Control Network august-2007/cessation.html

11 Mobile mammography coming to SRCs For many years mammograms, otherwise known as breast x-ray exams, have been performed at the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta Regional Hospital in Bethel, with women from all over the region traveling in to receive their exam. Now, YKHC is taking an active role in bringing breast cancer screening closer to home by offering mammograms in the villages thanks to the Women s Health Grant, mammograms will be on-the-go with a new mobile mammography machine. The joint effort of the Women s Health Program and the Diagnostic Imaging department is all about screening women for the early detection and diagnosis of breast cancer. The goal is to detect cancerous diseases before symptoms begin. Breast cancer is the second most prevalent cancer in Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta women after colo-rectal cancer. According to The Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium s Cancer Incidence Report, there was a 200 percent increase in the incidence of breast cancer in the YK Delta between 1969 and A mammography exam, called a mammogram, plays a key role in the early detection of breast cancer. It can show changes in the breast up to two years before a patient or physician can feel them. The mobile mammography unit was Who...? do I call purchased by the 911 State Trooper or Village VPSO or YKHC Emergency Services for Behavioral Health on-call Clinician ComPsych Employee Assistance Program or in Bethel Behavioral Health Critical Incident Stress Management Program pager #3203 Life-threatening emergency... Active suicide attempt, overdose, incident involving weapons, possible serious harm to somebody, person threatening to kill or seriously hurt themselves or somebody else Mental health situation... Somebody might need to be committed to psychiatric hospital in Bethel or Anchorage acting bizarre, out of touch with reality, maybe seeing/hearing things that are not there, talking crazy, maybe talking about suicide Personal or family problems... A YKHC employee or family member needs help dealing with an alcohol or drug problem, depression, job stress, marriage or financial problems, grief issues, domestic abuse, or similar problems. After a disaster or tragedy There s been a terrible event in my village a suicide, bad accident with injuries, multiple deaths, etc. and we need help coping with all of this Working Together to Achieve Excellent Health Volume XII No. 9 September 15, 2007 Merrilyn Blackmore, YKHC s Mammographer/Radiographer, will be traveling to villages with the mobile mammography machine. Women s Health Grant. It is scheduled to be fully operating in October, which happens to be National Breast Health Awareness Month. The first scheduled trip will be to the Aniak Subregional Clinic. Currently, mammography is the most efficient means for detecting abnormalities in the breast. said Luke Vanasse, Director of Women s Health. In the past we contracted mobile mammography services to screen in the villages. Now that we have our own mobile machine, we re able to reduce the expenses and complexities associated with contracting an outside organization. YKHC Women s Health program is designed for low-income YK Delta women to receive their regular breast and cervical screenings. During the subregional mammogram clinics, women from surrounding villages will have the opportunity to fly in to their subregional site to receive a mammogram. Mammograms usually involve two views (x-ray pictures) of each breast. Women who are breast-feeding can still get mammograms, although these are probably not quite as accurate (American Cancer Society The American Cancer Society recommends early breast cancer screening each year for women age 40 and older; women in their 20s and 30s should have a clinical breast exam as part of their regular health exams every year. For more information about breast cancer, you can visit the American Cancer Society website at or call YKHC s Women s Health Program at

12 Peltola garners IHS top CEO award The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and Indian Health Services awarded YKHC President/CEO Gene Peltola its prestigious Chief Executive Officer of the Year award. The award was presented earlier this year by the National Council of Chief Executive Officers of Native health organizations. The plaque Peltola received reads, for dedication, devotion, innovation, selfless vision, and for being a true ambassador for Native Health. The national award recognizes Peltola s 16 years as YKHC s President/CEO. When he was hired in 1990, YKHC had 220 employees and no control over operations of the Hospital. Annual payroll was $6 million. The Board of Directors gave him three charges: contract operation of the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta Regional Hospital, consolidate Bethel operations into one location near the hospital, and construct a subregional clinic in Aniak to serve as a model for similar future facilities. Within 18 months, Peltola had positioned YKHC to assume operation of the Hospital. The Aniak Subregional Clinic opened in Construction began on the Community Health Services Building (CHSB) in Bethel in 1996, and opened its doors in Today YKHC has 1700 employees, and an annual payroll in excess of $70 million. Examples of his innovative approaches to addressing the difficulties inherent in delivering health care to one of America s most isolated population groups abound. From the legendary acquisition for $1 of what is now the largest medevac firm in Alaska to the development of a company-owned subdivision to offer housing opportunities to employees, or his role in the organization of the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, his accomplishments are the hallmarks of resilience and openness to change. Four years ago, Peltola initiated a corporate make-over based on the Volume XII No. 9 September 15, 2007 President/CEO Gene Peltola with his recent CEO of the Year award. Malcolm Baldridge model, called Napartet, Our Road to Excellence. This initiative aligns the company s goals with standards of excellence in areas vital to successfully providing quality health care services to the people of the YK region. Characteristically, at a recent employee gathering to reaffirm Napartet, he gave credit for this award to you, the employees. It is really your award. Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation P.O. Box 528 Bethel, Alaska Non -Profit Org. US Postage PAID Anchorage, AK Permit # 537