Gibson Area Hospital & Health Services | Gibson gets it! | Fall/Winter 2017

Gibson gets it! 5 Award-winning leadership Kenna E. Dunlap Johnson, MBA, MSW, LCSW, Director of Behavioral Health, is the recipient of the 2017 Eagle Award for Leadership. Presented at the Ultra Group Leadership Conference in May, the award recognizes Dunlap Johnson’s leadership in the Geriatric Behavioral Services program offered at Gibson Area Hospital & Health Services (GAHHS). Ultra Group, a partner in the GAHHS Geriatric Behavioral Services program since 2011, is a behavioral health consulting firm that works with critical access hospitals to implement inpatient and intensive outpatient geriatric behavioral health units, as well as other programs. In accepting the award on behalf of the organization, Dunlap Johnson acknowledged the support of the administrative team at GAHHS that “supports a culture of care that is fully in line with the needs of successful behavioral health services in rural communities.” She credits the success of the GAHHS Behavioral Health Department to the talent and dedication of the clinicians and support staff. Colleague Brenda Sommer, MA, LCPC, appreciates Dunlap Johnson’s leadership style. “Kenna is not a top-down leader; she leads from within,” Sommer says. “She is not about individuality, but team work. She has the gift of encouragement and possesses the ability to bring out the best in others— focusing on strengths, not weaknesses.” Men: Take control of your health this November! It’s dangerous to generalize about half the population, but when it comes to men and routine health care, it’s safe to say: Men could do better. Women in the United States may make 80 percent of all health care decisions (U.S. Department of Labor), but that doesn’t mean that men can’t set their own personal agenda for better health and wellness. For instance, compared to women, men are more likely to put off seeing a doctor. Men also drink more, smoke more, and generally make more unhealthy or risky choices in their lives. Better health care starts with regular visits to a primary care doctor. (If you don’t have one, now is the time to get one.) During a routine checkup, a doctor can: Keep track of your vaccines. He or she will make sure you get the shots you need when you need them. Vaccines may include an annual flu shot, a tetanus booster, and shots to prevent pneumonia and shingles. Plan or perform screening tests. These tests can spot diseases early—often before symptoms crop up—when they are easier to treat. Routine checks may include blood pressure measurements, cholesterol screenings to help find heart disease and a blood test designed to detect diabetes. Other tests can indicate depression or various types of cancer. Support your healthy habits. Your doctor can help you create a diet and exercise plan and help you find answers to your health questions. And if you use tobacco, your doctor can help you quit. Sources: National Institutes of Health; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services November is Men’s Health Awareness Month! Call your primary care provider andmake an appointment for a checkup. Looking for a health care provider? Visit gibsonhospital.org/physicians . Find a provider