volume xiv no. 9 • sept. 15, 2009 a new clinic for hooper bay · mt. village, ak 99632...

INSIDE: Summer VIPs, p. 3 • Master Chef, p. 12 • Employee BBQ, p. 13 • Rabies Facts, p. 15

H1N1 Flu Update What To Do—p. 18

A New Clinic for Hooper BayStory and photos starting on page 10

Hooper Bay Behavioral Health Aide Nora Giaculli, left, and her daughter Tamara enjoy the food and the festivities with YKHC Board Member Bill Kristovich at the grand opening of the Hooper Bay Subregional Clinic.

Volume XIV No. 9 • Sept. 15, 2009

2

Board of DirectorsUnit 1Raymond F. Waska, Sr.P.O. Box 46Emmonak, Alaska 99581907-949-1514

Paula AyunerakP.O. Box 5Alakanuk, Alaska 99554907-238-3212

Unit 2Ray AlstromP.O. Box 8Marshall, Alaska 99585907-679-6320

James C. LandlordP.O. Box 32168Mt. Village, AK 99632907-591-2531

Unit 3Wayne MorganP.O. Box 234Aniak, Alaska 99557907-675-4264

George S. MorganP.O. Box 54Upper Kalskag, Alaska 99607907-471-2490

Unit 4James NicoriP.O. Box 41Kwethluk, Alaska 99621907-757-6837

Moses PeterP.O. Box 57Tuluksak, Alaska 99679907- 695-6426

Unit 5Bill KristovichP.O. Box 1037Bethel, Alaska 99559907-543-4151/2212

Henry Hunter, Sr.P.O. Box 632Bethel, Alaska 99559907-543-7963

Gloria SimeonP.O. Box 308Bethel, Alaska 99559907-543-5676

Joseph C. BavillaP.O. Box 6011Napaskiak, Alaska 99559907-737-7665

Unit 6Esai Twitchell, Jr.P.O. Box 121Kasigluk, Alaska 99609907-477-6309

Unit 7David O. DavidP.O. Box 78Kwigillingok, Alaska 99622907-588-8484

Unit 8James R. Charlie, Sr.P.O. Box 37012Toksook Bay, Alaska 99637907-427-7114

James SiparyP.O. Box 37134 Toksook Bay, Alaska 99637907- 427-7816

Unit 9Patrick TallP.O. Box 196Chevak, Alaska 99563907-858-7613

James HoelscherP.O. Box 189Hooper Bay, Alaska 99604907-758-4616

Unit 10Sam W. AlexieP.O. Box 57Eek, Alaska 99578907-536-5428

Unit 11Marvin DeaconP.O. Box 45Grayling, Alaska 99590907-453-5195

Honorary Board MemberPaul JohnP.O. Box 37067Toksook Bay, Alaska 99637907-427-74l4

Numbers to CallYKHC Main Operator ................................................. 543-6000 Toll Free ........................................................... 1-800-478-3321Public Relations .............................................................. 543-6038Media Services ................................................................ 677-2232Office of Environmental Health & Engineering ........... 543-6420Technology Help Desk ................................................... 543-6070Human Resources .......................................................... 543-6060Administration ............................................................... 543-6020Hospital .......................................................................... 543-6300Emergency Room ........................................................... 543-6395Hospital Community Relations .................................... 543-6350Social Services ................................................................ 543-6225Family Medicine Clinic Appointments ......................... 543-6442 1-800-478-3321AppointmentsDental Appointments .................................................... 543-6229Optometry Appointments ............................................. 543-6336Audiology Appointments .............................................. 543-6466

Subregional Clinic Appointments Aniak ........................................................................... 675-4556 Emmonak ................................................................... 949-3500 St. Mary’s .................................................................... 438-3500 Toksook Bay ................................................................ 427-3500Public Health Nursing ................................................... 543-2110Pharmacy ........................................................................ 543-6382Travel Management Center ........................................... 543-6360WIC Program ................................................................. 543-6459Health Services .............................................................. 543-6024Village Operations ......................................................... 543-6160 CHAP .......................................................................... 543-6160 ICEMS ......................................................................... 543-6080 Community Health & Wellness ................................. 543-6190Behavioral Health Services ............................................ 543-6100 Phillips Ayagnirvik ..................................................... 543-6700 Village Services ........................................................... 543-6740Home Care Services ....................................................... 543-6170

Volume XIV No. 9 • September 15, 20093

The Messenger Quarterly is printed in December, March, June, and Septem-ber. The Messenger is published monthly online at www.ykhc.org 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 Corpora-tion, P.O. Box 528, Bethel, Alaska 99559. E-mail: [email protected]. 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 99503. 907-677-2232. Please ask permission to reprint articles or pictures. © 2009, Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation.

YKHC Board& Committee Meetings

2009September 22

Finance Committee

September 22 – 23 Hospital Governing Body

OctoberFinance Committee TBA

OctoberExecutive Board TBA

November 17Finance Committee

November 18 – 20 Full Board of Directors

December 15Finance Committee

December 16 – 17 Executive Board

Community & Partner Satisfaction

SUBSCRIBE to the MessengerONLINE Monthly: www.ykhc.org/messenger

QUARTERLY by mail: email your name and address to [email protected] call 907-543-6038

August visitors welcomed to the YK Deltaby Donna Bach, YKHC Public RelationsThe month of August included a jam-packed series of visits to the region from important guests and digni-taries throughout the nation. During the month there were visits from Senator Mark Begich and his staffers, including Rural Director and former Bethel Mayor Tif-fany Zulkosky, D.C.-based aide Meagan Foster and State Director Susanne Fleek. They went to Bethel, Metarvik (Newtok), Tuntutuliak, Hooper Bay, Kwigill-ingok, Mekoryuk, Akiachak, Toksook Bay, and Akiak.

Obama Administration Cabinet Secretaries repre-senting four departments visited the communities of Bethel and Hooper Bay on August 12. The visiting cabinet members included Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Shaun Donovan, Secre-tary of Energy Dr. Steven Chu, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. They were accompanied by nearly 20 advanced team mem-bers.

Larry Echohawk (Pawnee), Assistant Secretary of the Interior and head of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, visited Bethel, Akiak, Kwethluk and Akiachak the first week of August and Joe Garcia (Ohkay Owingeh), President of the National Congress of American Indians, spent some time in Bethel, Kwethluk, and Aniak as well.

Stacy Bohlen (Sault Ste Marie Chippewa), Executive Director of the National Indian Health Board, along with Geof-frey Roth (Standing Rock Sioux), Executive Director of the National Council of Urban Indian Health, vis-ited the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta Regional Hospital, McCann Treatment Center, and the Community Health Services Bldg. on August 14.

The 13th Annual Ras-muson Education Tour took place on August 18 and it included a tour of Bethel’s McCann Treatment Center, the new Tundra Women’s Coalition building, and the recently relocated Ayaprun Elitnaurviat school. Philanthropic executives representing nine foundations—including M.J. Murdock Trust, the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Surdna, Tosa (Cisco), ExxonMobil, Microsoft, Packard and others—took a boat ride and paid a visit to the village of Napaskiak to tour the village health clinic, school, and IRA store. The group concluded their tour at the Yuut Elitnarviat center where a community round-table luncheon took place.

Alaska Governor Sean Parnell visited Bethel in August, touring McCann Treatment Center and posing for photos with clients.

YKHC Board Member Joe Bavila shows Rasmuson Education Tour visitors the sights and sounds of Napaskiak.

4

Seniors’ Day Out

Women in colorful qaspeqs make their way into the Log Cabin and take a seat to wait for their friends from the Senior Center and the commu-nity of Bethel. More women and men soon join them and everyone gets their blood glucose and

blood pressures checked before the event gets into full swing. Most of the seats set out are soon filled. After a brief greeting and introduc-tion, the lights go out and the slide show begins. The audience sighs. Ooohs, and aahs and names are called out in recognition of some of the participants from last year’s Senior Health and Fitness Day, some of whom are participating again in this year’s event.

The lights come back on and everyone is excited to get started. Everybody joins in the warm-up—some seated, some standing—starting with breathing and neck exercises, leading to marching in place. Exercisers giggle and chuckle when they slowly stick out their hips in a “sexy” walk-in-place. Following the warm up, a special per-formance is given by Laurie Smith and Kim Jung, in which they lead a shortened version of the diabetes prevention dance “Move it, Move it,” that was performed at the Camai Festival 2009. The elders enjoy learning the dance and give each other applause for their efforts.

Diabetes Prevention

Program gets Elders

‘movin’ for Senior Health

& Fitness Day August 19by Debbie Michael, Diabetes Outreach Coordinator

Catherine Peter and Cecelia Raphael warm up with some rowing exercises at the Log Cabin before setting out for a walk in the sunshine.

Joachim Hootch and Lucy Jacob lead the way from the Log Cabin for a stroll along the boardwalks.


After warming up the seniors break into three groups. The first walks up to the “Housing” area—which is about half a mile—and back with Laurie Smith. The second group walks around the boardwalk at Pinky’s Park with Debbie Michael, and the third group stretches at the Log Cabin with Kim Jung. The walkers are grateful for a mostly sunny day, but wish they had something to ward off the no-see-ums.

When most of the group is back together, we learn of a birthday in the crowd. Placing her center stage we sing “Happy Birthday.” After-wards, all the participants receive goodies, starting with the birthday girl. We encourage staying hydrated when we hand out water bottles to each participant. To relieve some stress and lower blood sugars, we also hand out stress balls that have the reminder “Calm Down” written on each one. We also give out caps, bags, and pens with the Diabetes Prevention and Control Program logos, “Return to Tradi-tion” and “Move it.” Some of the seniors and volunteers comment that receiving all these gifts feels like being at Slaaviq.

The Diabetes Prevention and Control Program would like to thank everyone who came to participate and volunteer at this year’s Senior Health and Fitness Day: City of Bethel, Orutsararmiut Native Coun-cil—Senior Center, Therapeutic Court, and YKHC Departments Health Aide Support Services, Healthy Hearts Program, and Public Relations.

If you would like to plan an event similar to

the Senior Health and Fitness Day in your

community, please call the Diabetes Prevention

and Control Program at 543-6133 or toll free

1-877-543-6133 and ask for any of the Outreach

Coordinators. We look forward to your call.

Bethel’s Community Gardenby Annette Coyle, RD LD CDEThe City of Bethel Parks and Recreation and the Coop-erative Extension Service along with YKHC’s Diabe-tes Prevention and Control Program partnered to make Bethel’s Community Garden a reality.

Gardening rows were offered up to the public this spring and many people took advantage of the opportunity. YKHC’s Dia-betes Program was a little slow but we did end up with the very last row available!

Laurie Smith and I along with the able assistance of Claire Apple-bee, daughter of Family Infant Toddler Coordinator Ann Applebee, planted broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce, bok choy, and beets. Believ-ing that every garden needs a few flowers we also planted some cosmos.

In mid-August, Laurie, Claire, Claire’s friend Lacey, Ann, and I harvested the crops. What fun we had! It was delightful to see the two 10 year old girls so enthusiastic about fresh broccoli and cauliflower. They sampled some of each and even wanted to eat the fresh broccoli leaves. Who said kids don’t like vegetables? Kids LOVE fresh garden vegetables—there is nothing yummier!

We toured the entire garden admiring the crops of our fellow gar-deners—cabbage, potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, kohlrabi, onions, lettuce, spinach, zucchini and various herbs. There were even some tomatoes growing under plastic tents. We all decided that we each want our very own rows next year.

If you have not seen the community garden, I encourage you to stop by and take a peek. It’s located behind Pinky’s Park and can be accessed from Owl Street. You may just be inspired to ask for your own garden row next year.

Diabetes Program Director Annette Coyle, center, with Claire Applebee, left, and Laurie Smith tend their garden.

A fine cabbage from the community garden.

It turned out to be a fine day for a walk, although it would have been nicer if the no-see-ums had stayed home.

6

Subsistence Activities = Diabetes PreventionIn our diabetes presentations we encourage people to participate in subsis-tence activities, “…not only are you getting healthy foods you are also getting good exercise when you gather, hunt, and/or prepare subsistence foods,” says Debbie Michael, Diabetes Outreach Coordinator.

Jesse Paul from Kipnuk gathers subsistence foods. Some of the foods he gath-ered last fall with his son Thomas are two types of mouse food. The first is called “neg’aasget,” which look like stringy noodles and taste like potatoes. The other is called “utngungsag’aat,” which are teardrop shaped and, some say, taste like sweet potatoes. According to Jesse these types of mouse foods are one of the last plants or roots to be gathered in the season from the tundra.

The Diabetes Prevention and Control Program would like to thank Jesse and his family for being physically active and eating healthy Native foods.

ATTENTION ALL YUKON-KUSKOKWIM DELTA

SCHOOLS

Diabetes Prevention & Control

Yukon Kuskokwim Health Corporation’s Diabetes Prevention & Control Program

will be soliciting 2009 Physical Activity Award applications from SCHOOLS ONLY.

Watch for these applications in the mail during September.

The deadline for application is October 12, 2009

The application may be downloaded at www.ykhc.org/diabetes

Working Together to Achieve Excellent Health

Did you know?Did you know that diabetes is one of the most serious health problems facing Americans today?

Did you know that diabetes is the 7th leading cause of death in the nation and the 4th leading cause of death in the world?

Did you know that there are about 23.6 million Americans with diabetes and another 57 million with pre-diabetes?

Did you know that the number of Alaska Native people with diabetes nearly tripled from 1990 to 2004?

Did you know that if current trends continue 1 in 3 children born today will develop diabetes in their lifetime?

The Diabetes Prevention and Control Program wants you to know!

We want you to know these and other facts about

diabetes. Knowledge is power and we have the

power to prevent diabetes!

Life on the Delta is good. Let’s keep

in that way. Let’s use the power we

have to prevent diabetes to ensure

a happy healthy future for ourselves

and our children.

543-6133 or toll free 1-877-543-6133


Do you want to be a nurse?Choose a health career!Follow in footsteps …...that make a difference in our

communities...that others are following now

I want to give back to my community. It’s a compassionate job where you get to know the patients and help in various ways.

—Nikki Pollock, Pre-nursing student

Alaska Native Workforce Development

You should be an RN because it’s a good way to increase their awareness of good health and to help your people to good healthy choices.

—Jean Mute, RN


Applications for admission to the nursing program are due July 1. For students attending the Anchorage campus of the University of Alaska, applica-tions are due February 1.

Admission is determined by the applicant’s rank among other applicants in relation to program requirements.

Students should contact an advisor for information on pre-nursing require-ments as soon as possible.

Where to start?For more Information, contact:UAA School of Nursinghttp://nursing.uaa.alaska.eduRecruitment and Retention of Alaska Natives into Nursinghttp://nursing.uaa.alaska.edu/rrann 907-786-6978

YKHC Career Pathways: 543-6986

Kuskokwim Campus Advising/ RRANN Program: 543-4542

For more information about nursing: www.discovernursing.com

Tundra Swan Academy is YKHC’s fully accredited schoolby Barbara TompkinsDid you know that YKHC operates a school? This school, Tundra Swan Academy (TSA), is fully accredited by the Northwest Asso-ciation of Accredited Schools. It has a student government, school colors (black and white) and a school mascot (Trappers).

TSA operates as part of McCann Treatment Center to serve the edu-cational needs of the clients while they are in treatment.

The school is staffed by two fully certified teachers and three psychi-atric technicians/classroom aides. In addition to these employees of YKHC, a part-time special education teacher is provided by LKSD.

TSA offers a complete curriculum including classes in Language Arts, Mathematics, Social Studies, Yup’ik Studies, Native Arts and Crafts, and P.E. The science class, however, is the favorite of most of the stu-dents. This subsistence education class, supervised by biologist Jaimie Kassman, MTC director, includes instruction in catching, cleaning, and processing fish in the summer; trapping, skinning, and auction-ing furs in the winter; and recognizing and identifying birds in the spring. Hands-on instruction is preceded by required research papers on fur-bearing animals and YK Delta birds.

TSA students take the standards-based assessments each year along

Summer interns ramp up IT Service Deskby David Hodges, Chief Information Officer, YKHCYKHC’s Technology department would like to thank the four college interns who have made a differ-ence in improving the quality and service to all the users at YKHC.

Response times and issues were reduced at an incredible rate because of their expertise and skill in helping resolve com-puter and technology needs. They have left a great impact on all of us here. Their incredibly positive attitudes have rubbed off on all of us and we’re proud to have had them as part of the team this summer.

Gia Seo, Miriam Ohman, Maribeth Ayagalria, and Oscar Perry—we want to thank you for your positive influence and all the hard work. Each one of you have done a wonderful job for YKHC. Well Done!

with all other students in the state of Alaska. Since the academy’s accreditation in 2008, six students have taken the High School Grad-uation Qualifying Exam (HSGQE) at TSA. Three students passed all parts and two students passed two of three parts. Those two students will be retaking the third part in October. They will become a proud part of the tradition of excellence at Tundra Swan Academy.

Yup’ik studies, Native Arts and Crafts and Subsistence Education are all part of the curriculum at the Tundra Swan Academy. Photo courtesy of TSA.

Summer technology interns: Maribeth Ayagalria, Gia Seo, Miriam Ohman, and Oscar Perry.

8

Medication Delivery

DIRECTTO YOU!

Starting next month, you will be able to

request your medicine directly from YKHC’s

Pharmacy and it will be sent to YOUR Post

Office Box. You don’t have to pick up your

medications from the clinic!

YKHC’s Pharmacy, Village Operations, Technology and Mate-rials Management have teamed up for “Direct to Patient”—an overhaul of the way medications are distributed. The new system will be phased in over the next couple of months. Patients should check in with their Health Aides or keep an eye out for YKHC “Direct to You” flyers posted in their villages.

“This project is a direct response to our customers’ requests to improve on-time delivery of medication refills,” said Health Services Vice President Jack Crow. “It has been a high priority coming out of our Tribal Gatherings for several years.”

The old system involved shipping medication refills to village clinics aboard Bush planes where health aides must receive and process the shipments, then meet with patients to deliver the meds.

“It took a lot of health aide time as well as patient and phar-macy staff time,” said Pharmacy Director Melanie Gibson. “There were waits and delays, problems with patients not receiving medication on time, and medications being lost. With refills going through many hands, there is a greater likelihood for errors.”

The direct mail process requires patients to call in their refill order 10 days before they run out to allow for the Pharmacy to process the order and for the Post Office to deliver it—plus a couple days to account for weekends, or unforeseen delays.

YKHC’s Pharmacy began the Direct to Patient pilot study more than a year ago with eight villages—Atmauthluak, Nunam Iqua, Akiak, Mekoryuk, Holy Cross, Stony River, Chuauthbaluk and Red Devil.

After analyzing the results of the study, it was determined that implementing the system region wide would result in substan-tial savings in freight costs, Health Aide time and Pharmacy staff time—as well as provide better customer service.

“We’ve been hearing from our customers and tribal members for a long time that we need to do a better job with medication refills,” said Patient Care Services Administrator Patty Smith. “Direct to Patient represents a positive change for better health care. Patients can work directly with pharmacy to ensure timely receipt of their medication and our providers and staff can be more confident that patients are getting the medications they need.”


Patient Centered Excellence

Pampered & Peaceful—New hospital birthing center ready for deliveries

Irnivik; A Place to Have Babies is pleased to announce the comple-tion of their remodel for a more personalized family-oriented labor and delivery unit!

Just walking onto the unit has changed. We now are locked down to prevent unwanted visitors from disturbing the peace. We have secu-rity camaras that allow us to view the visitors before we “buzz’ the visitor in (please push the door after you ring the bell).

Once you are in Irnivik you are surrounded by serenity. The colors are soothing and the atmosphere calm. Each room is individually personalized for comfort and labor with lovely quilts on the walls and animal footprints on the ceilings. The showers were rebuilt to be larger and have a hand-held shower massager and a seat built in—a comfortable and relaxing way to labor. Once you’re out of the shower the radiant heat lamp keeps you toasty and comfortable. Next project is our jacuzzi tub for early labor comfort.

The clean new facility is now equipped with specialized baby warm-ers and state-of-care oxygen supply in each room. The baby and parents don’t have to be separated at any point. If a baby is having difficulties our fully trained neonatal resuscitation certified nurses have a new nursery with state-of-the-art equipment available. There are also new viewing windows for visitors under 14 years old, or for relatives with cold symptoms to see the new baby. Rooming in is

encouraged for the moms to bond with their children, but babies are also wel-come in the nursery so Mom can catch up on her sleep!

With our grand opening we will be roll-ing out our diaper bags/backpacks with our mission statement of “Excellent Health—One Baby at a Time.” After the babies arrive, the parents receive our new swaddling sleep sacks. We choose to go to the sleep sacks as it supports our safe baby sleep program of ‘back to sleep’ with no extra bedding in the cribs. The sacks are made of fleece and multi-layered. We are awaiting our new shipment of larger sizes with our new logo on them.

Our breastfeeding moms get special “Boppy” breastfeeding pillows. These retail for more $30 in the store and are generously provided by a grant from our Diabetes Prevention Program. Breast-fed babies tend to be less obese and less susceptible to diabetes later in life. Not to mention the other awesome benefits for breastfeeding—like better immunity, better digestion, and better bonding with the family.

Quite often our moms are welcomed by the same staff that delivered their last child! We make follow-up calls to our moms two weeks after their babies are born to check and see how they are doing with their breastfeeding and well baby checks. We see if there are any questions we can answer or any way that we can insure that they receive the very best care. Our nurses are dedicated to making the experience in Irnivik exceptional. Our patients often agree.

by Tania Thomas, RN, OB Nurse ManagerDeluxe beds in the newly remodeled OB Unit are designed for the comfort of new moms. Photo by Rondi Bean.

10

Community celebrates Subregional Clinic opening

Nearly everyone in Hooper Bay and others from the nearby villages of Scammon Bay and Chevak turned out to celebrate the grand opening of their new subregional clinic on August 18. Plenty of distinguished guests also came to congratulate the community and thank the many partners and

funding organizations that contributed to the project.

The beautiful new facility is a little over 14,000 square feet and is accompanied by a 6,000 square foot 6-plex to house the SRC staff. Staffing will include eight health aides, midlevels, behavioral health

aides, lab and xray technicians, visiting dentists and other specialists along with support and administrative personnel.

According to Subregional Clinic Administrator Sue Hoeldt, opera-tion of the clinic includes a training program for lab and radiology staff so that local residents can more readily pursue careers in these healthcare fields.

The Hooper Bay facility is YKHC’s fifth subregional clinic and com-pletes the nearly 15-year effort to bring quality comprehensive pri-mary and urgent care closer to where the people of the YK Delta live. The first SRC opened in Aniak in 1995. The others are in St. Mary’s, Emmonak and Toksook Bay. George Cannelos, federal co-chair of the Denali Commission—which provided much of the funding for all the subregional clinics—said, “This is the best and the brightest of

Hooper Bay looks to a future of good health

by YKHC Public Relations Staff

Most of the village of Hooper Bay turned out for the new SRC grand opening. Photos by Public Relations staff unless otherwise noted.

Subregional Clinics Administrator Sue Hoeldt leads a tour of the new facility.

A dental chair with a view.


them.”

YKHC President/CEO Gene Peltola presented appreciation plaques to the partners and funders, saying, “It is great to be working with a community that is united, and I mean UNITED, in making this clinic a reality.”

Other special guests who spoke at the opening ceremonies were Chris Mandregan, Indian Health Service (IHS) Director for the Alaska Area Native Health Service; Gary Hartz, IHS Director of the Office of Environmental Health & Engineering (OEHE); Holly Croft, Legislative Correspondent with Congressman Don Young’s office; John Moller, Rural Advisor to Governor Sean Parnell.

Welcoming words and congratulations were also spoken by Hooper Bay’s Sea Lion Corp Chair-man Myron Naneng and YKHC Executive Board member Bill Kristovich.

Chris Mandregan said he was particularly pleased to see the dental component incorporated into this and the other SRCs, utilizing the Dental Health Aide Therapist training program. Gary Hartz of the IHS/OEHE noted the importance of including housing units to the recruitment and retention of staff. The housing building includes two three-bedroom units and four one-bedroom units.

Clinic Director Rob Filipczak said the facility will be ready to serve patients starting in October with 15 new staff members and more to come as all vacant positions are filled.

The grand opening was attended by nearly all the residents of Hooper Bay. YKHC’s master chef Michael Callahan said nearly 1,000 plates of food were served—exellent food, by the way, as

reported by those enjoying the grilled halibut, hotdogs and hamburgers, salad and pineapple salsa.

In addition to food and speeches, guests were able to take tours of the new building, replete with an urgent care unit, lab and xray capacities, comfortable exam rooms, offices for health aides and behavioral health staff, and of course the dental stations.

Community & Partner Satisfaction

Sea Lion Corp. Chairman Myron Naneng welcomes guests and congratulates the community on their new clinic.

Dental Health Aide Therapist Conan Murat grills halibut for nearly a thousand guests. Photo by Carl Evans.

Children line up for hotdogs, halibut and hamburgers. Nearly a thousand plates of food were served.

Congratulations and Quyana to all who contributed to

transforming this dream from concept to reality!

see HOOPER BAY, p. 17

12

Meet the Maestro of Magnificent Cuisineby Rondi Bean, YKHC Public Relations

Chef Michael Callahan started cooking with his German grandfather as a child by helping him bake in the kitchen. His official culinary career began in 1975 in the Army at the Army Chef School. There he started as an apprentice under chefs in the cities and countries he was stationed in,

including: Washington D.C., Korea, and Germany. “I think it is important for cooks to immerse themselves in the culture they are in and learn to cook that way,” said Calla-han, who volunteered some of his time at a restaurant in Germany.

The Chef has worked in fine dining restaurants, has experience in catering special events, and more recently worked as a civilian chef on a NATO base in Afghanistan before moving to Bethel. Chef Callahan transformed the NATO base menu from that of a traditional European cuisine to one that pleased the appetites of the Americans who resided there.

Since the Chef began at the YKHC cafeteria in May, food service worker Fritz Gunlik has shown interest and taken initiative to learn more about the culinary arts under Callahan. Gunlik has dedicated time to come in after-hours and on weekends to refine his own culinary skills and is now the lead breakfast cook. Chef Callahan will also serve as a mentor to two senior apprentices from Bethel Alternative Boarding School (BABS) throughout this school year. In addition to that, Callahan has succeeded in feeding nearly a thousand people at the Grand Opening of the Hooper Bay Subregional Clinic, and more recently another thousand at YKHC’s annual Employee Appreciation BBQ.

QUYANA!To all our sponsors and friends who donated door prizes and support for our August celebrations!

Hooper Bay SRC Grand Opening August 19 YKHC Employee Appreciation BBQ August 27

BNC

Grant Avation

Ground Support Supply

Hageland Avation

KC Supply

KUC

Lion’s Club

NAPA Auto Parts

Shorty’s Shop

Shorty’s Shop

VFW

YKHC AHEC

YKHC Dental

YKHC Diabetes

YKHC Healthy Hearts

YKHC Injury Prevention

Yuut Elinaurviat

BNC

Crowley Marine

Grant Avation

Ground Support Supply

Hageland Avation

KC Supply

KUC

Lion’s Club

NAPA Auto Parts

The Lumber Yard

VFW

Video World

YKHC Admin

YKHC AHEC

YKHC Dental

YKHC Diabetes

YKHC Gift Shop

YKHC Healthy Hearts

YKHC Human Resources

YKHC Injury Prevention

YKHC Technology

Yuut Elitnaurviat

Chef Michael Callahan tends the halibut at the Hooper Bay Subregional Clinic Grand Opening celebration August 19. Photo by Carl Evans.

see MEET THE CHEF, p. 17


Employee Appreciation BBQYKHC’s Senior Leadership Team and pro-gram managers grilled burgers, hotdogs and fresh Kuskokwim salmon for nearly a thousand employees and family members on August 27 at the Employee Appreciation BBQ for nearly.

The big tent was pitched next to the hospital affording a bit of shelter against a chilly wind. Employees began lining up at 11 and the serv-ing continued until almost 2 p.m. The kitchen staff reported that employees were served over 500 hamburger patties, and 450 hotdogs, and nearly 200 pounds of silver salmon.

Thanks to Chef Michael Callahan and his crew for all the food prep-aration, Facilities for setting up the tent and tables and everyone who joined in to serve food—Public Relations, Village Operations, Office of Environmental Health, Human Resources, and Administration.

Employee Focus

CFO Joe DeMeo scores a fine tomato.

Left, Employees line up for food. Above, the rewards of waiting.

Executive Assistant Julia Street and Support Services Vice President Greg McIntyre inspect the fish before grilling. Public Relations Communications Specialist Rondi Bean grills gotdogs in the background.

Senior Leadership cooks! President/CEO Gene Peltola, Medical Director Dr. Joe Klejka, Administration Vice President Dan Winkelman.. Photos by YKHC Public Relations staff.

14

New WIC Foods Starting October 1, 2009

New foods have been added to help our WIC clients eat more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains; while eating less fat from cheese, eggs, and milk. Babies who are not fed formula will receive baby food meats to support the mom’s decision to

breastfeed. Women who choose to breastfeed receive more foods than women who feed formula to their baby. We hope that you enjoy these new foods.

Find your client type below and see what new foods you will be getting from WIC. Individual packages may vary.

Client Type Grains Fruits and Veggies Dairy Protein

Pregnant woman

36 ounces of iron-fortified cereal

And either 1 pound 100% whole wheat

bread, buns or rollsOr

whole wheat tortillas

$8 cash value voucher for fruits and veggies

And about 3 cans of WIC

approved juice

5 1/2 gallons of 2% or lower fat milk

More allowed substitutions for whole milk, more than 1 pound of cheese, soy

beverages & tofu

1 dozen eggsAnd

1 pound dried beans or peas or 64 ounces canned beans

or peasAnd

18 ounces of peanut butter

Fully Breastfeeding

Mom


And either1 pound 100% whole wheat




Andabout 3 cans of WIC

approved juice

6 gallons of 2% or lower fat milk

More allowed substitutions for whole milk, more than 2 pounds of cheese, soy

beverage & tofu

2 dozen eggsAnd

1 pound dried beans or peas or 64 ounce canned beans

or peasAnd

18 ounces of peanut butterAnd

30 ounces canned fishFully

Breastfeeding Baby

At 6 months24 ounces of

iron-fortified infant cereal

At 6 monthsabout 64 of the 4 oz jars of

baby food fruits and veggiesYour breastmilk everyday!

At 6 monthsabout 31 of the 2.5 oz jars of

baby food meat

Partial Breastfeeding

Mom







approved juice

5 1/2 gallons of 2% or lower fat milk


beverage & tofu

1 dozen eggsAnd


or peasAnd

18 ounces of peanut butterPartial

Breastfeeding Baby




baby food fruits and veggies

Your breastmilk every day!Formula

(amount will vary)

Non-Breastfeeding

Mom 36 ounces of

iron-fortified cereal



approved juice

4 gallons of 2% or lower fat milk


beverage & tofu

1 dozen eggsAnd either


or peasOr

18 ounces of peanut butterNon-

Breastfeeding Baby




baby food fruits and veggies

Formula (amount will vary)

Children 1-5 years






Andabout 2-3 cans of WIC

approved juice

Age 1-2 years4 gallons of whole milk

Age 2-5 years4 gallons of 2% or lower fat milk. More allowed

substitutions for whole milk, more than 2 lbs. of cheese,

soy beverage & tofu(substitutions may require

a medial provider’s approval)

1 dozen eggsAnd either


or peasOr

18 ounces of peanut butter

You can find much more information about the new WIC foods at the

WIC office at the Bethel Hospital, or call 543-6459 / 1-800-764-6459


Tracker gets his shots at Bethel Rabies ClinicYKHC’s Office of Environmental Health & Engineering (OEHE) along with the City of Bethel conducted a free rabies clinic August 16. More than 75 pets were vaccinated, including Patty Smith’s year-old Saint Bernard, Tracker (right). YKHC Safety Officer Jeff Conner is doing the honors and Heather Hamblin is comforting the pup.

YKHC trains villagers throughout the Delta to be lay vaccinators. So far this year 18 villages have participated and more than 1,200 dogs have been inoc-culated.

For information on the availability of rabies vaccinations in

your community, call 907-543-6420

Rabies FactsRabies is spread when saliva from an infected animal comes into contact with another person or animal.

Pet vaccinations are an extremely important step in preventing the spread of rabies to humans. After the first rabies vaccine is given, a booster shot should be given 12 months later, and should be given every three years following this.

Indications of rabies in animals can include changes in behavior, difficulty moving, or problems swallowing.

The only way to test for rabies is through the animal’s head; if forced to shoot an animal, avoid this area.

If human exposure was evident with the animal determined or sus-pected to be rabid, the victim will be treated with a post exposure prophylaxis (PEP). There have been no known fatal human cases of rabies when PEP was given promptly and appropriately after an exposure.

PetsQ: How can I protect my pet from rabies?

A: There are several things you can do to protect your pet from rabies:

If you have access to a veterinarian, keep rabies vaccinations up-to-date for your pet

Talk to the lay vaccinator in your village or contact YKHC’s Office of Environmental Health and Engineering at 800-478-6599 to arrange the services of a lay vaccinator.

Spay or neuter your pets to help reduce the number of unwanted pets that may not be properly cared for or vaccinated regularly.

Call animal control to remove all stray animals from your neighbor-hood since these animals may be unvaccinated or ill.

Q: Why does my pet need the rabies vaccine?

A: While wildlife are more likely to be rabid than are domestic ani-mals, the amount of human contact with domestic animals is much greater than the amount of contact with wildlife. This explains the tremendous cost of rabies prevention in domestic animals in the United States.

Your pets and other domestic animals can be infected if they are bitten by rabid wild animals. When “spillover” rabies occurs in domestic animals, the risk to humans is increased. Pets are vac-cinated by a veterinarian or a lay vaccinator to prevent them from acquiring the disease from wildlife, and thereby transmitting it to humans.

Wild AnimalsQ: What animals get rabies?

A: Any mammal can get rabies. The wild animals that most com-monly get rabies are feral dogs, raccoons, skunks, bats, foxes, and coyotes. Domestic mammals can also get rabies. Dogs, cats, cattle, and ferrets are the most frequently reported rabid domestic animals in the United States. Small rodents (such as squirrels, rats, mice, hamsters, guinea pigs, gerbils, and chipmunks, ) and lagomorphs (such as rabbits and hares) are almost never found to be infected with rabies and have not been known to cause rabies among humans in the United States.

Bites by these animals are usually not considered a risk of rabies unless the animal was sick or behaving in any unusual manner and rabies is widespread in your area. Woodchucks or groundhogs are the only rodents that may be frequently submitted to state health department because of a suspicion of rabies. In all cases involving rodents, the state or local health department should be consulted before a decision is made to initiate postexposure prophylaxis (PEP).

see RABIES Q&A, p. 16

16

........?Who do I call911State Trooper 1-800-764-5525or Village VPSO

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

543-6300or 1-800-478-2642YKHC Emergency Services for Behavioral Health on-call Clinician

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

1-866-465-8930ComPsych Employee Assistance Program

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.

1-800-478-3321or 543-6093 in BethelBehavioral Health Critical Incident Stress Management Program

After a disaster or tragedyThere’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


Prevention and ControlQ: What happens if a wild animal bites my pet?

A: Any animal bitten or scratched by either a wild, car-nivorous mammal that is not available for testing should be regarded as having been exposed to rabies. Unvaccinated dogs, cats, and ferrets exposed to a rabid animal should be euthanized immediately. Animals with expired vaccinations need to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Dogs and cats that are currently vaccinated are kept under observation for 45 days.

Human RabiesQ: How do people get rabies?

A: People usually get rabies from the bite of a rabid animal. It is also possible, but quite rare, that people may get rabies if infectious material from a rabid animal, such as saliva, gets directly into their eyes, nose, mouth, or a wound.

Q: Can I get rabies in any way other than an animal bite?

A: Non-bite exposures to rabies are very rare. Scratches, abrasions, open wounds, or mucous membranes contami-nated with saliva or other potentially infectious material (such as brain tissue) from a rabid animal constitute non-bite exposures. Other contact, such as petting a rabid animal or contact with the blood, urine or feces of a rabid animal, does not constitute an exposure.

Q: How soon after an exposure should I seek medical attention?

A: Medical assistance should be obtained as soon as possible after an exposure.

RABIES Q&A, from p. 15

Physical Therapists earn doctorate degreeOn August 8, 2009 Heather Johnson and Heather “Kate” Huckert received their Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degrees from A.T. Still University in Mesa, Arizona.

Physical therapy programs across the nation have recently transitioned from the Masters level to Doc-torate programs. Heather and Kate attended a 100% on-line program over the course of 16 months to finish this additional degree.

Both Heather and Kate have completed a total of 10 years of college education and three degrees each (Bachelors, Masters and now Doctorate) to reach this goal.

This degree expanded both therapists’ knowledge in the areas of differential diagnosis, pharmacol-ogy, business planning, evidenced-based practice, diagnostic imaging, and gender healthcare (among others) as they relate to providing patient care.

Both therapists sacrificed many long nights and weekends to fit in rigorous educational demands in addition to their full-time jobs at YKHC. Heather has worked for YKHC for nearly 10 years as a physi-cal therapist. Kate is the Director of Physical Therapy and has been here for five years providing both administration and patient care.

We are very proud of their accomplishment and their dedication to their patients, department and community. Way to go Heather and Kate!

Physical Therapy Director Kate Huckert, left, and Heather Johnson earned their doctorate degrees in Physical Therapy. Kate has been with YKHC five years, Heather for 10.


Health AidesDeserve Your Appreciation!

Thank your Health Aide today for the work they do.

Your appreciation encourages health aides to continue their fine job caring for everyone in the village.

~ Stop by the clinic to thank your health aide~ Tell others to appreciate their health aides~ Bring them cookies or a small thank you gift~ Nominate them for Health Aide of the Month

~ Have a community potluck celebration for all the clinic workers~ Write them a nice thank you letter

Martha Constantine, CHP, in Kwethluk clinic checking the ears of a young patient. Photo by Carl Evans.

Eric Andrews August Health Aide of the MonthEric Andrew, CHA III and Sherileen Chris, CHA Trainee, displayed exceptional commitment to their jobs in providing effective emergency medical care to a mom and baby in the village of Tuntutuliak recently.

Eric worked under extreme pressure and did as he was advised in successfully delivering and stabilizing the baby who was in distress until help arrived. He remained calm and courageous in comforting the mother until they were medeva-ced out.

The people in the community of Tuntutuliak are fortunate to have both Eric Andrews and Shirleen Chris working as Community Health Aides.

Callahan has already established goals for the direction and standards he wishes to uphold with his kitchen staff. He hopes to bring up the quality of the food and skills of his dietary staff to a whole new level so all can become “first rate cooks” if they are willing and ready to learn. He wishes for all of his staff to obtain skills necessary to land a job “at any kitchen or restaurant they want to work in.” According to Chef, “all it takes is the initiative and drive.”

In his off-time Callahan will be the “Cater Mae-stro” for Bethel’s annual Steele Salmon and Raven Auction on September 19. The menu will include a prime rib dinner and it will begin at 6 p.m. at the Cultural Center for $28 per plate. All proceeds from the fundraiser will go to the Bethel Art Guild. Callahan also hopes to start a small, limited, cooking class in his apartment once his feet settle within the Bethel and YK community.

If you are interested in any of Chef Michael Cal-lahan’s recipes you can find them online at chefcal-lahan.com

Behavioral Health Aide Nora Giaculli said she is really looking forward to moving into the new offices, adding, “that something like this has finally happened in Hooper Bay is really good, for the sake of the people.”

Even before construction began in 2007 utiliz-ing local workers, there were years of planning between YKHC, the Native Village of Hooper Bay and many other granting and funding entities.

Funding was topped off by a Denali Commission award for more than $6 million in early 2007. Other funding was secured through Indian Health Service (IHS) medical equipment funding, legisla-tive funding and a Small Ambulatory Program

HOOPER BAY, from p. 11

MEET THE CHEF, from p. 12

Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta Regional Hospital Cafeteria Hours:

Breakfast .......................7:30–10 a.m.

Lunch .....................11 a.m.–1:30 p.m.

Snack............................... 2:30–4 p.m.

Dinner ............................. 4:30–6 p.m.

Eric Andrews.

18

Facts about the flu & the H1N1 virus

Brief history of H1N1Influenza is a viral disease that makes millions of Americans sick each year. In April, a new strain of this virus was discovered in Mexico. It began spreading from person to person very fast and healthy young and middle-aged individuals began getting sick. Most people do not have immunity to this novel (new) influenza, sometimes called “swine flu”. Because it began spreading through many countries, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared it a pandemic flu in June 2009. Pandemics are widespread occurrences of the disease; it is based on the number of people with the disease and not how sick those people become because of the dis-ease. In the YK Delta, we began seeing cases of H1N1 influenza in July 2009.

What are the symptoms of the H1N1 Influenza?Aches and pains, headache, sore throat, sudden fever, possibly sudden dizziness, cough/ head and lung congestion and possibly diarrhea/ vomiting are all symp-toms of this influenza.

How does the H1N1 virus spread? How do I keep from getting it?The H1N1 virus spreads from person to person through the coughs and sneezes of people who are sick. Some-times people may become infected by touching a surface, such as a table or phone with the H1N1 influenza virus and then touching their mouth or nose.

How do I know if I need to see my Health Aide or Healthcare Provider?If children have these symptoms, they should be seen immediately:• Fast breathing or trouble breathing• Bluish or grey skin color• Not drinking enough fluids• Severe or ongoing vomiting• Not waking up or interacting• Being so fussy that they don’t want to be held• Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with

fever and worse cough

If adults have these symptoms, they should be seen immediately:• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath• Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen• Sudden dizziness• Confusion• Severe or ongoing vomiting• Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with

fever and worse cough

Here are the best ways to stop it from spreading:Wash your hands

for 30 seconds in hot soapy water—or use alcohol based hand sanitizer

Cough in your sleeve or use tissue—then wash your hands

Stay home if you’re sickKeep sick children home from school and day care. Flu symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, chills, runny nose, fatigue, body aches, and head-ache

MedicineThere are medicines to treat H1N1 influenza, called anti-virals. They are most effective when people start taking the medicine within 48 hours of being sick.

People who should take them are those that are moderately to severely ill and in the hospital, children under five, people 65 and older, and those with certain other health conditions.

If you do not need to seek medical care, the best way to treat the flu is to stay home, rest, and drink plenty of fluids. You should not return to work until your symptoms have been gone for 24 hours.

What about a vaccine?There is a vaccine coming for the H1N1 influenza. This will help protect us from the virus. It will take two doses of the vaccine to give us the most protections. It is separate from the seasonal flu vaccine.

The H1N1 influenza vaccine is recommended for pregnant women, people who have young children in their household, people 6 months to 24 years old and people ages 25 to 64 years of age. The vaccine may not be available until mid-October or November. In Bethel, you will be able to get it from your healthcare provider. There will also be two Mass Dispensing Clinics (MDCs) held in Bethel to help provide the vaccine in the Bethel area. We will publicize information as soon as we know more.

Still have questions? Call the Flu Hotline: 907-543-6644 or 1-800-478-3321 ext 6644


Back to School Immunization Update by Kathleen Stanton, YKHC Immunization CoordinatorThe YK Delta Immunization Coalition hosted two Back-to-School clinics in August as part of Immunization Awareness Month. Many children and parents stopped by to get their shot records updated.

Remember, it is important to keep track of your immunizations throughout the year! Kusko says, “Stay Healthy, Stay Immunized!”

If you need more information regarding immunizations or

need to schedule an appointment, contact

YKHC .............................. 543-6000PHN ............................... 543-2110

Bethel Family Clinic ..... 543-3773

What Are You Afraid Of? By Annette Coyle, President, Tundra Toastmasters

Did you know that a majority of people fear public speaking? In January, 2009, the Boston Globe listed public speaking as the number one fear of Ameri-cans.

Toastmasters International was established in 1924 with the goal of helping its members improve their public speaking and leadership skills. There are chapters all over the world including one right here in Bethel—Tundra Toastmasters.

Can you think of any area of your life that isn’t affected by communication? Do you aspire to being a leader? Do you ever wish you were a more effective leader? At YKHC we are committed to helping employees develop both personally and professionally. Toastmasters can help.

Former Human Resource director Ed Buck-ley believed that the communication, leadership and listening skills of YKHC employees could be honed through membership in this organization. Together he and Tony Vaska, Professional Trainer, established the chapter. Currently 14 YKHC employ-ees and three individuals from the community are members. We take advantage of a twice monthly opportunity to work on improving our speaking, listening and leadership skills in a sup-

portive environment. The skills that we develop are used not only in our personal lives but also to provide better service to our

patients and partners.

Tundra Toastmasters is a safe and supportive environ-ment in which to learn how to speak in public or polish those skills you already have. It is also a great arena to develop or improve leadership skills.

Whether you are a tongue-tied beginner or a polished speaker, Toastmasters has something to offer. We practice giving rehearsed speeches as well as short extemporaneous or “on the spot” speeches. Everyone

receives constructive feedback and everyone gets a round of applause! There are many ways to participate

in meetings. You may serve as a timer, grammarian, evaluator, toastmaster, speaker or you can just listen and observe. No one is ever pressured into speaking.

YKHC Grant Writer and Toastmaster member Norman Ayagalria says, “Attending Toastmasters helped me to

control my fear of speaking in front of a crowd. The local group is also very supportive to help us with our accomplishments by giving thoughtful and constructive suggestions when we speak.”

Tundra Toastmasters is open to everyone in the community—you do not have to be employed by YKHC employee to join. Tundra Toast-masters currently meets every other Tuesday at the YKDRH main conference room from 12:05 to 1p.m. Our next September meeting is on the 22nd. Visitors are always welcomed.

Come and find out who is having all the fun. We would love to have you!

Cain Gillian gets his back-to-school immunizations with Public Health Nurse Trish Naughton.

Volume XIV No. 9 • September 15, 2009 Non -Profit Org.US Postage

PAIDAnchorage, AK

Permit # 537

Yukon-Kuskokwim Health CorporationP.O. Box 528Bethel, Alaska 99559907-543-6000

EXCITING OPPORTUNITY!become a Dental Health Aide Therapist

Who is a Dental Health Aide Therapist?…An individual who cares about the

oral health of their community

…An individual who has a passion for a health career

QUALIFICATIONS:• Highschooldiploma

orequivalent• Interestinworking

withchildren• Hardworkingand

ambitious

Apply to YKHC www.ykhc.org1-800-478-DENL 907-543-6229

For more info:www.dentexak.washington.eduConan Murat, Dental Health Aide

Therapist at Aniak Subregional Clinic

YKHC Dental Dept.


Alaska Native Workforce Development

I love helping people become more knowledgeable about their health issues and care. I love seeing whole families and coordinating their care. I love everything about the patient. Knowing that, at the end of the day, I’ve helped at least one person feel better. That makes me happy. That is what keeps me going.

—Martha Flores, PA-C

Being a PA is a rewarding and exciting

career choice. It is still one of the hottest

professions around, which means plenty of job opportunities

and work choices.

Chester C. Mark, P.A., YKHC Community

Health Aide Training

How do I become a PA?• Take science and

math courses in high school

• Graduate from high school

• Two years of hands-on experience in the direct delivery of medical care (as a licensed practical nurse, registered nurse, community health practitioner, paramedic, etc.)

Do you want to be a Physician Assistant? Physician Assistant—a rewarding career

Where to start?YK Area Health Education Center — Career Training OpportunitiesCall 1-800-478-3321 or visit our website — www.ykhc.org/paprogram for information about PA requirements


volume xiv no. 9 • sept. 15, 2009 a new clinic for hooper bay · mt. village, ak 99632...

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