Eleven Physicians Complete 2024 KPLI Program
Eleven physicians were recognized for completing KMA’s award-winning Kentucky Physicians Leadership Institute (KPLI) during the 2024 KMA Annual Meeting. As part of their training, KPLI graduates studied the personal, business, advocacy, and communications aspects of leadership, as well as heard from expert guests during the popular “Fireside Chat” sessions.
Members of the 2024 class are Syed Haider Abbas, M.D., Lexington, Timothy Beacham, M.D., Louisville, Erica Courtney, M.D., Glasgow, Kelly Evans, D.O., Gray, Erin Moore, M.D., Lexington, Kevin O’Bryan, M.D., Louisville, Rinit Pancholi, M.D., Louisville, Erin Schumer, M.D., Louisville, Drew Shirley, M.D., Lexington, Zubi Suleman, M.D., Louisville, and Robert Whitford, M.D., Louisville.
KPLI is the premiere leadership training program for physicians in Kentucky. Each year, this exclusive program selects up to 15 physicians to participate in a year-long series of learning events that cultivates the next generation of physician leaders across the state. The four weekend events help address many of the challenges facing the physician community.
“KPLI was a wonderful learning experience for me. It was concise, highly focused, and equipped with the best strategies to build successful leadership,” said 2024 graduate Zubi Suleman, M.D.
KFMC Debuts New Video at the KMA 2023 Annual Meeting
The KFMC is proud of its work in public health over the past five years. To highlight what we have accomplished with KMA on public health issues, the KFMC debuted a new video at the 2023 Annual Meeting describing the impact our work has had on Kentucky patients.
These statewide, multifaceted public health campaigns and partnerships with other stakeholders have enabled us to reach millions of Kentuckians with timely, impactful messages. From a focus on flu vaccination, to promoting tobacco-free schools zones, to sharing vital information on COVID-19, to encouraging immunizations and the COVID-19 vaccine, to promoting lung health, the KMA and KFMC have helped patients live their healthiest lives.
With nearly a quarter of a million dollars raised or funded for these efforts, the KFMC would like to thank the thousands of physician members, as well as the partner organizations, who have contributed to this success.
Ten Physicians Complete 2023 Kentucky Physicians Leadership Institute
Ten physicians were recognized for completing KMA’s award-winning Kentucky Physicians Leadership Institute (KPLI) during the 2023 KMA Annual Meeting. As part of their training, KPLI graduates studied the personal, business, advocacy, and communications aspects of leadership, as well as heard from expert guests during the popular “Fireside Chat” sessions.
Members of the 2023 class are Kandis Adkins, M.D., Louisville, Muhammad Ifran Atiq, M.D., Lexington, Wesley Barnett, M.D., Cynthiana, Marisa Belcastro, M.D., Lexington, Hannah Brown, M.D., Lexington, Kellen Bo Yung Choi, D.O., Louisville, Destiny Etheridge, M.D., Louisville, Eric Fisher, M.D., Glasgow, Neelima Jayavant Kale, M.D., Nicholasville, and Siddharth V. Pahwa, M.D., Prospect.
KPLI is the premiere leadership training program for physicians in Kentucky. Each year, this exclusive program selects up to 15 physicians to participate in a year-long series of learning events that cultivates the next generation of physician leaders across the state. The four weekend events help address many of the challenges facing the physician community.
During the 2023 House of Delegates, President-Elect Evelyn Montgomery Jones, M.D., pointed out that each member of the newly elected KMA Executive Committee was a graduate of the KMA and KFMC’s Kentucky Physicians Leadership Institute (KPLI).
“This is one of the most diverse groups of individuals leading any organization in this state right now, whether by gender, color, ethnicity, geography, or specialty. And it is not lost on me that every one of us in this group is a graduate of the KPLI program. So please, if you have not already done so, go through the KPLI program next year. It not only teaches you so much, it provides you with the opportunity to do what I think everyone here today wants to do – LEAD. Make changes. Improve the health of the commonwealth.”
Physicians interested in joining the 2024 class should contact KMA Education Director Miranda Mosley, mosley@kyma.org.
“Breathe Better Kentucky: New Campaign by KMA, KFMC and Anthem Foundation Focuses on Lung Health Issues, Disparities Amid COVID-19”
LOUISVILLE, KY (October 18, 2021)— For too long, Kentucky has struggled with high rates of lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pneumonia, influenza, and asthma. The COVID-19 pandemic has only worsened the lung health of many Kentuckians, and while lung diseases, infections and viruses like COVID-19 don’t discriminate, disparities persist within minority and rural populations across the state.
That’s why the Kentucky Medical Association, the Kentucky Foundation for Medical Care, and the Anthem Foundation are launching “Breathe Better Kentucky,” a year-long, multimedia public health campaign that aims to educate all Kentuckians on lung health issues and encourage visiting with a physician to discuss specific concerns.
The campaign will include the production of “Fighting to Breathe,” a three-part series that will air on Kentucky Educational Television (KET) this winter that examines the story of lung disease in Kentucky– the causes, the impact on those afflicted, and the exciting new developments in treatment and prevention. Hosts Renee Shaw and Wayne Tuckson, M.D. will speak with researchers, experts, advocates, and survivors who reveal eye-opening information that challenges basic assumptions about lung health.
In addition, Breathe Better Kentucky will utilize targeted social media and web advertisements to communities where lung health issues are more prevalent, public service announcements and radio advertisements, as well as messaging on streaming services. The campaign will also host educational opportunities for healthcare providers to discuss improving outcomes, new technologies, and eliminating health inequity.
“We’re excited about the opportunity to work with the Anthem Foundation to shed more light on lung health through the Breath Better Kentucky campaign,” said KMA President and pulmonologist Neal Moser, M.D. “With the COVID-19 pandemic not going away any time soon, and October being national Lung Health Awareness Month, there’s never been a better time to discuss the complications both COVID-19 and other diseases and infections can have on a person’s respiratory system.”
Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Kentucky Medical Director Jeff Reynolds, M.D., agrees.
“COVID-19 has complicated an already critical issue in the Bluegrass, as lung health is a particular concern for Kentuckians in minority and rural communities,” explained Dr. Reynolds. “African-American men are 50 percent more likely to get lung cancer, and this disease also disproportionately affects those who live in rural areas due to greater tobacco use. Combine that with COVID-19, which has caused more deaths by population size, both directly and indirectly, in minority groups compared with white individuals, and we have a lot to be concerned about. We want to encourage talking to a physician about treatment and management plans.”
“It’s time to Breathe Better, Kentucky, and make improving our lung health a priority this year,” said Dr. Moser.
More information about the campaign, as well as educational materials, are available at www.BreatheBetterKY.org.
“Take It From Me”: KMA, KFMC Launch New COVID-19 Vaccine Campaign with Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky, Kentucky Hospital Association, Kentucky Primary Care Association
LOUISVILLE, KY (August 12, 2021) — Adults who are hesitant to take the COVID-19 vaccine may be more likely to do so if they know someone who has received it. That’s the premise of the new “Take It From Me” campaign, launched last week by the Kentucky Medical Association (KMA), Kentucky Foundation for Medical Care (KFMC), the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky (FHKy), the Kentucky Hospital Association (KHA), and the Kentucky Primary Care Association (KPCA) to encourage residents to receive the shot when it’s their turn.
“Take It From Me” includes social media advertisements as well as a series of video and print public service announcements that the partner groups will be asking media outlets and health providers across the state to share, particularly as vaccine eligibility in Kentucky now has been expanded to include all adults ages 50 and older. The PSAs feature a diverse group of residents reassuring others to “take it from me” that the COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective.
“We encourage talking to your physician about the vaccine. But through the ‘Take It From Me’ campaign, we also hope Kentuckians will talk to their friends and neighbors who have received it to help ease any concerns,” said KMA President Dale Toney, M.D., who is featured in the spots. “Millions of people have been safely vaccinated—myself included—and we need as many as possible to receive it to put this pandemic behind us.”
“Many people have questions about the COVID-19 vaccines, and that’s okay,” said Ben Chandler, president and CEO of the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky. “This campaign features Kentuckians willing to share the answers they have found to the most frequently stated vaccine concerns. It’s our hope that the campaign spokespersons will give those who are vaccine hesitant a higher level of comfort about getting their COVID-19 shot of prevention.”
Nancy Galvagni, president of the Kentucky Hospital Association, agrees: “Our organizations have teamed up because we know that getting more Kentuckians vaccinated is the best way to get our state back to enjoying the things we all miss and protecting everyone’s loved ones. Working around the clock to treat the sickest COVID-19 patients, Kentucky’s hospitals and the dedicated individuals who work there truly understand the impact of this pandemic and they stand ready to help once again by vaccinating as many people as possible. When it’s your turn, we hope you will take this opportunity to get vaccinated.”
“It is imperative that Kentucky residents take the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as they are able. The Kentucky Primary Care Association (KPCA), along with our Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), Rural Health Clinic (RHC), and private practice members who provide care to thousands of patients every day, encourage all Kentuckians to roll up their sleeves and get the COVID-19 vaccine. The faster we can get people vaccinated, the quicker we can put this devastating pandemic behind us,” said David Bolt, Chief Executive Officer of the Kentucky Primary Care Association.
In addition to Dr. Toney, who is a board-certified internist and serves as Division Chief of General Internal Medicine and Women’s Health at the University of Kentucky Albert B. Chandler Hospital, the “Take It From Me” campaign features:
Michael Branch, the first Louisville firefighter to contract COVID-19, who is married to a physician and is the father of an infant daughter;
Leigh Doane, M.D., a mother of two young children (with another on the way), and wife of a police officer, specializes in women’s health. She was filmed on-site at her Sterling Health Care OBGYN office in Winchester;
Camille Jordan, RN, BSN, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, CDP, is Senior Vice President of Clinical Operations & Innovation for Signature HealthCARE, LLC, and is a nurse by training;
Edward L. Palmer, Sr., is Pastor of The Sign Of The Dove Church in Radcliff, as well as a Certified Diversity Trainer and social justice advocate, and;
Jason “JP” Phillips, UK Extension Agent for Agriculture in Simpson County, is an avid hunter, fisherman, and outdoorsman. He lives on a farm outside Franklin with his wife and two dogs.
Viewers are encouraged to consult the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services COVID-19 vaccine website, kycovid19.ky.gov, and hotline, 855-598-2246, for more information on vaccination. The “Take It From Me” campaign will run throughout 2021. The PSAs are available for download below. A toolkit for community organizations to share is also available here.
“Take It From Me” PSA 1 :30
“Take It From Me” PSA 2 :30
“Take It From Me” PSA 2 :30 (Spanish subtitles)
“Take It From Me” PSA 3 :30
“Take It From Me” PSA :15
“Take It From Me” PSA 4 :30
https://vimeo.com/517250361/3c19a5cba3
Kentucky Foundation for Medical Care Donates Nearly $10,000 to Supplies Overseas for Ukraine Relief
Posted April 11,2022
The Kentucky Foundation for Medical Care (KFMC), the charitable arm of the Kentucky Medical Association (KMA) donated nearly $10,000 last week to Louisville-based nonprofit Supplies Overseas (SOS International) to help provide a shipment of medical supplies, fortified meals, and bleachmakers to Ukraine.
The shipment, valued at a total of more than $128,000, includes thousands of requested medical supplies such as wound dressings, orthopedic supplies, IVs, needles, syringes, and crutches. Bleachmakers provided by WaterStep and 21,000 fortified meals donated by Love the Hungry are also included.
KFMC Board Member Gordon Tobin, M.D. spoke at a press event on April 8 announcing the donation and shipment.
“The KFMC is honored to be able to contribute to such an important and vital need. We thank SOS International, Love the Hungry, and WaterStep for helping make this shipment possible,” said Dr. Tobin.
In the area where the supplies will be delivered, six of seven hospitals had been destroyed by Russian forces.
“Supporting public health initiatives is at the heart of the mission of the KFMC, and we are glad to have been able to support those in need across the globe.”
The press event was covered by several Louisville-area news stations. A full story from WHAS11 is available here.
KFMC President Dr. Shawn Jones shares the projects and accomplishments of the KFMC over the past year.
Kentucky Physicians Leadership Institute Graduates Class of 2021
LOUISVILLE, Ky., September 13, 2021 – Ten physicians from across the state completed the 2021 class of the Kentucky Physicians Leadership Institute on Aug. 28, 2021. This is KMA’s fourth class of KPLI participants, an initiative with the Kentucky Foundation for Medical Care designed to enhance the leadership skills of physicians who can fill emerging leadership roles and influence health care policy in the ever-evolving world of medicine.
As part of their training, KPLI graduates studied the personal, business, advocacy, and communications aspects of leadership, as well as heard from expert guests during the popular “Fireside Chat” sessions.
Bill Bryant, M.D. of Owensboro, Hope Cottrill, M.D. of Lexington, Lewis Hargett, M.D. of Louisville, Christopher Jones, M.D. of Louisville, Evelyn Jones, M.D. of Paducah, Christine Ko, M.D. of Lexington, Melissa Larson, M.D. of Walton, Eric Lydon, M.D. of Louisville, Pat Purcell, M.D. of Louisville, and Leslie Schwindel, M.D. of Cynthiana comprised the 2021 class.
“(KPLI) was such an advantageous experience which allowed me to learn and grow my leadership skills,” said 2021 graduate and pediatrician Pat Purcell, M.D.
The Kentucky Physicians Leadership Institute (KPLI) is the premier leadership training program for physicians in Kentucky. Each year, this exclusive program selects up to 15 physicians to participate in a year-long series of learning events that cultivates the next generation of physician leaders across the state. The four weekend events help address many of the challenges facing the physician community.
Physicians interested in joining the 2022 class should contact KMA Education Director Miranda Mosley, mosley@kyma.org.
“Take It From Me”: KMA, KFMC Launch New COVID-19 Vaccine Campaign with Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky, Kentucky Hospital Association, Kentucky Primary Care Association
LOUISVILLE, Ky., March 31, 2021 – Adults who are hesitant to take the COVID-19 vaccine may be more likely to do so if they know someone who has received it. That’s the premise of the new “Take It From Me” campaign, launched last week by the Kentucky Medical Association (KMA), Kentucky Foundation for Medical Care (KFMC), the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky (FHKy), the Kentucky Hospital Association (KHA), and the Kentucky Primary Care Association (KPCA) to encourage residents to receive the shot when it’s their turn.
KMA, Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Kentucky Welcome Additional Partners for “Raise Your Guard, KY: Focus on Flu”
LOUISVILLE, Ky., December 2, 2020 – The Kentucky Medical Association (KMA), the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky (FHKy) and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Kentucky have welcomed new partners to the “Raise Your Guard, KY” campaign for a special focus on flu vaccination across the state.
KMA, KFMC, Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky and Anthem Launch “Raise Your Guard, KY” Campaign
LOUISVILLE, Ky., September 20, 2020 – Yesterday, KMA, the Kentucky Foundation for Medical Care, the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Kentucky launched a new public health campaign aimed at encouraging Kentuckians to schedule well-visits with their physician and update their immunizations to maintain optimal health.
Tobacco Free Schools free-signage program distributes nearly 12,000 signs to Kentucky schools
LOUISVILLE, Ky., October 26, 2020 – Schools in 101 districts and 51 state operated technology centers across Kentucky are displaying a total of nearly 12,000 metal signs and window or door stickers announcing that their campuses are tobacco-free, thanks to a partnership among the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky (FHKy), the Kentucky Medical Association (KMA) and the Kentucky Foundation for Medical Care (KFMC). The Tobacco-Free for Students partnership provided the free signs, as well as more than 20,000 policy change announcement cards, as an incentive for districts to adopt tobacco-free policies, which are shown to reduce youth tobacco use.
“Wear It For Me” New Campaign to Focus on Importance of Wearing Masks
LOUISVILLE, Ky, July 29, 2020 – A Louisville man who just learned he has brain cancer. A Jessamine County teacher. A Glasgow family physician. A restaurant owner and a firefighter with a young child. All are wearing masks to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, and asking Kentuckians to do the same in a new campaign launched today by the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky, the Kentucky Medical Association (KMA), and the Kentucky Foundation for Medical Care.
The Wear It For Me campaign includes social media graphics as well as two public service announcements that the Foundation and KMA will be asking television, cable and radio stations around the state to run. The campaign features residents of the Commonwealth sharing their personal reasons for urging all Kentuckians to follow public health advice to wear a mask in public indoor spaces and when they cannot maintain a six-foot distance from persons who don’t live in their own households.
TOBACCO-FREE FOR STUDENTS: Partnership to Donate Signage to Newly Tobacco-Free School Districts
(FRANKFORT, Ky – August 22, 2019) Kentucky school districts that adopt tobacco-free campus policies under a new 2019 law are eligible for free tobacco-free campus and vehicle signage, thanks to a partnership among the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky (FHKy), the Kentucky Medical Association (KMA) and the Kentucky Foundation for Medical Care (KFMC). The groups say their “Tobacco Free for Students” program will cover the chief cost of implementing the new law and significantly help improve community compliance.
Angela Tackett Dearinger, M.D., 2018 KPLI Graduate, Named New Commissioner for Kentucky’s Department for Public Health
(August 26, 2019) – The Cabinet for Health and Family Services is proud to announce Dr. Angela Tackett Dearinger as the new commissioner of Kentucky’s Department for Public Health (DPH).
Dr. Dearinger is board certified in Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Public Health and General Preventive Medicine. She is an associate professor at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine. In her most recent professional educational roles she served as Assistant Dean of Accreditation in Graduate Medical Education, and as Associate Chief of Staff for Education at the Lexington VA Health Care System.
Kentucky Physicians Leadership Institute (KPLI) Receives National Leadership Award
On July 25, 2019, the Kentucky Physicians Leadership Institute (KPLI) was awarded the American Association of Medical Society Executives (AAMSE) Profiles of Excellence Award for Leadership during the AAMSE Annual Meeting in Pittsburgh, PA.
The AAMSE Profiles of Excellence recognize outstanding achievements by medical societies in various arenas. The Leadership category honors the development and implementation of member leadership programs that create pathways for physician leadership at the county, state or national level and/or develop leadership competencies to meet the challenges of medicine.
The KPLI was selected for its innovative approach to physician leadership training.
According to comments from the selection committee, “The development of the KPLI had a significant impact on the medical society and strengthened its relationship with key KMA members. It is designed to provide physicians with lifelong learning that they are not receiving from other sources.”
This is the second award for the KPLI in the last year. In October 2018, the program was honored with the MediStar A.O. Sullivan Excellence in Education Award.
The Greater Louisville Medical Society (GLMS) was also honored at the AAMSE Annual Meeting with the Profiles of Excellence Membership Award for “Engaging and Investing in the Future of Organized Medicine.” The Lexington Medical Society (LMS) was recognized as well with the Profiles of Excellence Education Award for their role in the development of the LifeBridge Physician Wellness Program.
Eleven physicians from across the state are participating in the 2019 class of the KPLI. The program’s multi-weekend sessions begin Aug. 9 and will wrap up during the KMA Annual Meeting on Sept. 21.
KFMC News
KFMC Awards Three Grants in 2018 – Nov. 1, 2018
The KFMC has awarded three grants to organizations that have a relationship with a KMA Community Connector:
- The Kentucky Commission for Women Foundation, which funded a study and targeted wellness program for women at the University of Kentucky;
- The Lexington Medical Society Foundation for hosting a Women Physician Leadership program attended by nearly 40 female physicians in Lexington; and,
- Hand-in-Hand Ministries for building wheelchair ramps at homes in Eastern Kentucky.
Kentucky Physicians Leadership Institute to be Honored with MediStar’s A.O. Sullivan Award for Excellence in Education – Oct. 2, 2018
Three KMA Member Physicians Also Selected as MediStar Honorees, Including Physician of the Year
The Kentucky Physicians Leadership Institute (KPLI) has been announced as the recipient of the A.O. Sullivan Award for Excellence in Education. The award will be presented on Oct. 30 during the twelfth annual MediStar Awards, to be held at the Muhammad Ali Center.
The MediStar Awards honor healthcare professionals for their achievements in advocacy, innovation, education, leadership and aging, as well as announce the Physician and Nurse of the Year. The A.O. Sullivan Award is presented to the organization that takes creative approaches to developing and implementing programs, which enhance the level of knowledge, education and career opportunity in healthcare.
KPLI is the premier leadership training program for physicians in Kentucky. Each year, the exclusive program selects up to 15 physicians to participate in a year-long series of learning events that will cultivate the next generation of physician leaders across the state. The four primary events, culminating in the KMA Leadership Academy, help address many of the challenges facing the physician community. KPLI is funded through a grant from The Physicians Foundation and by the KMA’s education and charitable arm, the Kentucky Foundation for Medical Care. Nineteen physicians have completed the program since its inception in 2016.
“I have been using what I have learned (from KPLI) on an almost daily basis. Thank you for the opportunity to further my career development,” said Michael Kuduk, M.D., a pediatrician from Winchester and a 2018 KPLI graduate.
The 2018 MediStar Awards will also honor three KMA member physicians for their contributions to healthcare. Sarah Moyer, M.D., and Bryan Loy, M.D., will be presented with The Centerstone Healthcare Advocacy Award, which recognizes an individual that has worked to raise awareness of health challenges in the region and worked to affect change.
Sandra Shuffett, M.D., a Nicholasville radiologist with Baptist Health Medical Group, will be presented with The Dean Dorton Physician of the Year Award. This award is given to a physician who has shown outstanding leadership and vision and has contributed to their workplace, leaving a lasting legacy. Shuffett is a 2017 graduate of KMA’s Community Connector Leadership Program, and is a member of the University of Kentucky Board of Trustees and the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure. She has been a vocal advocate for women’s health, and earlier this year secured a grant from the KFMC that will provide female University of Kentucky faculty with access to health programs combating chronic struggles such as obesity and smoking.
In total, KMA members and its KPLI program make up four of the seven 2018 MediStar honorees. More information on the MediStar Awards is available at https://www.medistarawards.com/.
Statewide Focus on Flu “Flu Shot Day” A Success – Sept. 28, 2018
Wednesday, Sept. 26 successfully served as the Focus On Flu campaign’s statewide ‘Flu Shot Day’ as announced during the Sept. 18 press conference that drew media attention from across Kentucky.
KMA and the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky kicked off a busy agenda with a live appearance on Louisville FOX affiliate, WDRB. Anchor Candyce Clifft was joined by KMA President Bruce Scott and Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky President and CEO Ben Chandler to discuss the campaign and emphasize the importance of flu vaccine. Clifft then actually received her flu shot on air. The segment can be viewed here.
Flu Shot Day also saw the debut of a series of ‘Flu Myth Buster’ videos featuring KMA physicians. Each thirty second segment aims to debunk a common flu myth or misconception. KPLI graduates Casey Lewis, M.D., Mamata Majmunda, M.D., and James Borders, M.D. all served as the expert physicians for the videos. In addition, Rhonda Rhodes of the KMA Alliance filmed a short video emphasizing the importance of getting vaccinated.
At 1 p.m., KMA hosted its first-ever ‘Twitter Q&A’ with Norton Healthcare infectious disease specialist Paul Schulz, M.D. The hour-long event encouraged members of the public to ask Dr. Schulz questions related to the flu and flu shot. More than a dozen questions in total were answered.
Throughout the day, KMA shared photos of individuals who had received their flu shots and posted a ‘flu shot selfie’ on social media with the hashtag #GotMyShot. Many participants utilized custom Focus on Flu band aids provided by the campaign.
Focus on Flu wrapped up Flu Shot Day by teaming up with Passport Health at Louisville’s WFPK Waterfront Wednesday. Attendees were offered educational materials on the flu and were encouraged to get their flu vaccines before the end of October.
More than 2,000 Focus on Flu band aids have been distributed since the campaign kickoff. Additional promotional events are planned for the coming weeks in Bowling Green, Campbellsville and Danville, and more media appearances are scheduled as well. A full list of Focus on Flu coverage is available at https://kyma.org/public-health/focus-on-flu/.
KMA “Focus on Flu” Kickoff a Success – Sept. 20, 2018
Event Covered by Every Television Station in Kentucky
On Tuesday, Sept. 18, KMA, the Kentucky Foundation for Medical Care (KFMC) and the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky launched a joint public education campaign aimed at mitigating the effects of another deadly influenza outbreak.
The press conference announcing “Focus on Flu” in the State Capitol Rotunda was attended by dozens of health officials from across the state. KMA President Bruce Scott, M.D. and KMA President-Elect Brent Wright, M.D. introduced the campaign’s three simple messages– get your shot, consult your doc, and stop the spread—and announced the statewide ‘flu shot day’ on Sept. 26. Ben Chandler, President and CEO of the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky, discussed the group’s interest in teaming up with Kentucky physicians to make an impact on flu vaccination and prevention. Allison Adams, President of the Kentucky Health Departments Association, also spoke on behalf of public health departments and expressed their support for the campaign.
Dr. Scott, Dr. Wright, Adams and Chandler were then joined by Kentucky Department for Public Health Commissioner Dr. Jeffrey Howard, Cabinet for Health and Family Services Secretary Adam Meier, and Personnel Cabinet Secretary Thomas Stephens, and received their flu shots during the event, compliments of Premise Health. Custom Focus on Flu band aids were used by those receiving their shots, who then shared the photos on social media with the hashtags #GotMyShot and #FocusOnFlu. Within minutes of the event, Governor Matt Bevin, tweeted photos praising Secs. Meier and Stephens for receiving their shots.
Dozens of media outlets covered the event. LEX18, the NBC affiliate in Lexington, offered a live feed of the entire event to viewers online, and designated it as their “Big Story” at noon. The event spurred several stations to produce field reports in which individual physicians and health department officials from across the state gave flu updates and reinforced the campaign’s messaging. By the end of the day on Tuesday, every television station in the state had produced a segment on “Focus on Flu,” and the majority produced segments for midday, evening, and late-night broadcasts.
On Wednesday, Sept. 19, KMA Communications Director Emily Schott and Lexington Medical Society President Tuyen Tran, M.D. appeared with Chandler for “Fox Morning Edition” in Lexington, where anchors Andrea Walker and Miranda Combs, along with weatherman Jim Caldwell, received their flu vaccines as part of the segment.
While the media attention surrounding the Focus on Flu launch has been extensive, more events are planned. On ‘Flu Shot Day’—Sept. 26—Dr. Scott will appear along with Chandler for WDRB’s “Fox in the Morning” broadcast to discuss the campaign and administer a flu vaccine to host Candyce Clifft. KMA will also partner with Passport Health Plan to promote Focus on Flu during Louisville’s “Waterfront Wednesday” event from 6-9 p.m. on Sept. 26.
A full listing of Focus on Flu’s extensive media coverage is available here. A full video of the press event is also available. More information and updates on Focus on Flu is available at kyma.org/public-health/focus-on-flu.
KMA Kicks off “Focus on Flu” Public Health Campaign – Sept. 18, 2018
KMA is excited to launch its 2018-2019 public health campaign, Focus on Flu, with a press conference occurring September 18 at 9:30 a.m. in the State Capitol Rotunda in Frankfort. KMA President Bruce Scott, M.D., President-Elect Brent Wright, M.D., and Ben Chandler, president and CEO of the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky, will speak on behalf of the organizations involved and will also be receiving their flu shots, thanks to Kentucky Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Jeffrey Howard.
The event is the first public announcement of the partnership between KMA, the Kentucky Foundation for Medical Care and the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky. Several other events are planned for the coming weeks, including the declaration of a statewide ‘Flu Shot Day’ on Sept. 26, when all Kentuckians will be encouraged to go out and receive their annual flu vaccine. Residents are asked to snap a photo after receiving the vaccine and post their ‘flu shot selfie’ on social media using hashtag #GotMyShot to help spread the word about vaccination.
Members are also encouraged to educate their patients on the benefits of flu vaccination and prevention strategies. KMA has an educational handout available at https://kyma.org/public-health/focus-on-flu/ that details the three simple steps to mitigating another flu epidemic: get your shot, consult your doc, and stop the spread.
KMA and the Foundation will be appearing on morning television shows in Louisville and Lexington to promote the campaign, and will be administering flu vaccines on-air to anchors and reporters. In Lexington, members can tune in to FOX56 on Sept. 19, and in Louisville, to WDRB on Sept. 26.
Focus on Flu will also be teaming up with Passport Health during Louisville’s “Waterfront Wednesday” event on Sept. 26 to provide flu education to attendees.
KMA and the KFMC selected influenza as its 2018-2019 public health topic after the particularly deadly 2017-2018 flu season. More than 10,500 Kentuckians became infected, and 325 died from the virus, including five children. 2018 is also the 100-year anniversary of the 1918 flu pandemic, during which more than one-third of the world’s population contracted the illness and more than 675,000 Americans died. A documentary on the 1918 flu by PBS’s American Experience is available for streaming here.