Kentucky Doc Spring 2021

spring 2021 • volume 13• issue 1

7TH ANNUAL ESSAY CONTEST WINNERS

HOW DO PHYSICIANS ENCOURAGE USE OF THE

COVID-19 VACCINE?

PROTECT YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY THIS FLU SEASON!

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CONTENTS ESSAY 1st PLACE: PHYSICIAN CATEGORY Actions Speak Louder Than Words • PAGE 5 ESSAY 1st PLACE: MED STUDENT CATEGORY Not Throwing Away Our Shot • PAGE 8 ESSAY 2nd PLACE: MED STUDENT CATEGORY A Moment of Silence • PAGE 15 PET HEALTH Adopting Senior Dogs • PAGE 18 COMMUNITY NEWS Announcements & Awards • PAGE 20 ESSAY 3rd PLACE*: MED STUDENT CATEGORY Leading by Example • PAGE 24 ESSAY 3rd PLACE*: MED STUDENT CATEGORY Giving Patients a Voice • PAGE 26 ( * 3 rd p lace tie in this e ssay ca te go r y )

BUSINESS What is Leadership? • PAGE 30

EDITORIAL

BOARD MEMBERS Robert P. Granacher Jr., MD, MBA, editor of Kentucky Doc Magazine Terry Clark, MD John Patterson, MD Tuyen Tran, MD Thomas Waid, MD Nicholas Coffey, M2 at UK College of Medicine Bowling Green Campus

STAFF Brian Lord Publisher David Bryan Blondell Independent Sales Representative Jennifer Lord Customer Relations Specialist Barry Lord Sales Representative Anastassia Zikkos Sales Representative Kim Wade Sales Representative Janet Roy Graphic Designer Aurora Automations Website & Social Media

FROM THE

EDITOR Robert P. Granacher Jr., MD, MBA, Editor-in-Chief, Kentucky Doc Magazine

Welcome to the Spring edition of KentuckyDoc Magazine. This is our 7th year of the annual essay edition. The question for essayists to ponder was: How do physicians encourage use of the COVID- 19 vaccine?

The first-place award for the practicingphysician essay is given to Erin N Moore, MD, a University of Kentucky College of Medicine (UKCOM) graduate and an internist at the Lexington Clinic for her essay: “Actions speak louder than words.” No other practicing physicians entered the essay contest.

Dr. Moore gives our readers a highly personalized template, used in her practice, to model for her patients the importance of COVID-19 vaccination.

She stresses the methods of physician modeling of public health behaviors to one’s patients and one’s community to reinforce the need for personal vaccination because of the current pandemic.

While this year no UKCOM residents wrote essays, KentuckyDoc had four winning essays from our medical students. The first-place award went to Grant Austin, a second medical student (M2) at Lexington UKCOM. Grant’s essay, “Not throwing away our shot,” points out that 51% of pediatricians have dismissal polices in their practices (for recalcitrant anti-vaxxers). This is said by a UKCOM student who wishes to be an internist/pediatrician.

Grant mirrors Dr. Moore by stressing the importance of physicians modeling pro-vaccination behaviors for their families and their patients and he encourages healthcare workers to be COVID-19 vaccine advocates.

Ellen Combs, is our 2nd place medical student essay winner with her: “A moment of silence: create space for silence and meet our patients with compassion and understanding.” Ellen is an M2 at UKCOM but undecided about her medical career choice.

She accurately portrays a proper interview of a patient and how to give separation by silence to allow the patient to talk freely. This is a powerful method for gaining a patient’s trust and allowing them to come to a decision to protect themselves and family members through vaccination.

The 3rd place essay award for medical students did not come to a clear separation by the judges and they chose a tie solution, thus, giving two third place awards. One third place award was given to Nicole Robertson, an M2 with extensive education prior to medical school in public health. This was framed in her essay “Leading by example and engaging the community to promote COVID-19 vaccination.” Nicole suggests methods to educate the community and strive for accessibility for persons needing vaccination. She points out that “vaccination is a selfless way to protect ourselves, our loved ones, and our beloved community.”

The other 3rd place winner is Maggie Lund, with her essay: “To vaccinate or not to vaccinate giving patients a voice.” Maggie is an M3 at UKCOM, and she, like most of our essayists, volunteered to vaccinate others. Maggie stressed what other essayists stressed: Educating providers to have the latest accurate COVID-19 data and start from a place of empathy and understanding while addressing myths and misunderstandings of patients. Help the patient to feel respected, heard, and understood while factually dispelling any misinformation they may have received.

Our last contribution in this edition of KentuckyDoc is by Brian Lord, our publisher. Brian gives us a review of a book by John Maxwell: The 21 Irrefutable laws of Leadership. By using Maxwell’s thinking, Brian explores the question: What Is Leadership? In this well-crafted one-page review, Maxwell’s answer is: “The true measure of leadership is influence, nothing more nothing less.”

We hope you take time to review this edition’s contributions. They seem to predict high quality in our up-and-coming physicians.

Stay well, Bob

Mailed to 100% of physicians licensed in Fayette County. Mailed to 75% of doctor office managers & other decision makers in Fayette County Practices. For advertising rates and to find out how to get your article published, please call

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© Copyright Kentucky Doc Magazine 2021. All rights reserved. Any reproduction of the material in this magazine in whole or in part without written prior consent is prohibited. Articles and other material in this magazine are not necessarily the views of Kentucky Doc Magazine. Kentucky Doc Magazine reserves the right to publish and edit, or not publish any material that is sent. Kentucky Doc Magazine will not knowingly publish any advertisement which is illegal or misleading to its readers. Kentucky Doc Magazine is a proud product of Rock Point Publishing.

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IAN CATEGO

WE NEED TO ROLE MODEL VACCINE ACCEPTANCE

ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS

By Erin N. Moore, MD My basement flooded early in the covid-19 pandemic. This was during the spring rains, prior to the mask mandate-they were merely a “suggestion” at that time. That evening, I rushed out to Lowe’s around 8 PM to buy a submersible pump. Once I arrived there, I realized I had forgotten to bring a mask. Now it feels like a lifetime

ago, but this was prior to us having a stack in our cars. I decided this was an emergency—it certainly felt that way—and I went in to Lowes and purchased my pump anyway. But I felt guilty the entire time. Certainly, I was worried about getting an employee sick unknowingly…but also “What if a patient sees me in here without a mask?” I worried that someone I knew would conclude that I don’t think masks are effective and so therefore wouldn’t wear one either.

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As physicians, we set an example to our community. Our volunteer efforts, our active lifestyle, our church membership-all of this is on display whether we realize it or not. While this is more obvious in small communities, it’s still common in larger cities. Many of my patients live in my neighborhood. We frequent the same grocery store, the same dog walking routes and eat at the same restaurants. I can run into a patient on any given day.

This is a large reason I felt it was crucial to accept and model mask wearing early in the pandemic.

Now that we have effective vaccines available, we must shift our focus to encouraging vaccination. But this isn’t the your typical anti-vaxxer or flu shot denier movement. With the current political environment, general distrust and online misinformation rampant, it is more a challenge than ever. So, the question becomes: With a third or more of our patients planning to decline or at least showing some vaccine hesitancies—how do we encourage buy-in?

As a primary care physician, an important part of my job is to discuss preventive care with my patients including vaccination schedules. In December, I spent hours educating myself on mRNA vaccine technology, the current vaccines pending approval, distribution plans for Kentucky, etc. I did this partly to reassure myself the vaccines were safe to take on a personal level, but also to be fully equipped to answer questions. Now, when my patients reveal they are hesitant to get the vaccine, I’ll ask what their concern is and impart a little information without pressuring them. While hard to do at times, I’ve had better success discussing covid-19 as a more casual side conversation than as a focused part of the visit. At a perilous time like this, removing the emotion from the vaccine push and simply saying,” I’m here to answer your questions if you have any” can go a long way. Putting people on the defensive will not allow for open dialogue. This shift has allowed my patients to feel comfortable letting me know their concerns and perhaps give me a few seconds to share my thoughts.

Many people are adopting a “wait and see” plan for vaccination.

This group will probably get vaccinated this year and speeding up their decision will be beneficial. Therefore, the second thing I’ve done is make known that not only myself and my staff have received it, but also my parents. If I feel it is important and safe for my 70s age parents to be vaccinated, that bears a little more weight to patients. And of course, I posted my vaccine selfie on social media. The more of us sharing early that we are vaccinated shows that the social circle accepts and encourages vaccination in our community. My hope is that we reach the point when covid vaccination is the social norm.

The third thing we must do is be transparent. After my own experience with the Moderna booster vaccine, I’ve been discussing my side effects and what I recommend to blunt those effects, in addition to my rapid turnaround to normal. We need to prepare people that they may feel ill the next day, that this is

actually quite normal, and empower them to take OTC meds if needed. Employers need to be on board with this plan and allow folks to have a day off without penalty.

While medicine certainly has changed over the past generations, one of the perks we continue to enjoy as physicians is that we are well-respected members of our communities.

Let’s remember why we went to medical school all those years ago-to make a difference. In this time of a world-wide health pandemic, it’s our duty to inform ourselves and our patients and most importantly, model behavior right now. We can easily unite in educating ourselves and our patients, openly discuss our own experiences and encourage vaccination in a non-pressured way. Through open communication and the perception of vaccination as our new social normal, I believe we have a chance of immunizing most of our community this year.

About the Author Dr. Moore is an Internal Medicine primary care physician at Lexington Clinic. She graduated from UK College of Medicine in 2006 and completed her residency at UK in Internal Medicine in 2009.

IT’S OUR DUTY TO INFORM OURSELVES AND OUR PATIENTS AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, MODEL BEHAVIOR RIGHT NOW.

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By Grant Austin Outside, Kroger Field looked as it always had on a non-game day: large, quiet, resolute.

Inside, however, the halls once filled with excited UK football fans were a hive of activity as volunteers and healthcare professionals strove to administer thousands of doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. As I waited in line to get my second vaccine dose, I was amazed by what I saw. I was seeing in real time what we imagine ideal medical care to look like. The scene was the epitome of efficiency: volunteers moved patients through the line as if on a conveyor, without sacrificing thoughtful care, safety, and privacy. It was inspiring to witness such a wellchoreographed display of interprofessional patient care. I walked out of the stadium feeling as if a weight had been lifted. I felt for the first time since the pandemic started that the end was in sight.

And yet, despite the galvanizing sentiment inspired by getting the most effective vaccine in human history, many people across the country do not want to get it.

Vaccine hesitancy and anti-vaxxers are a familiar struggle for physicians, especially pediatricians and family medicine specialists. Debate on how to handle these patients (and often,

parents of patients) is ongoing and we may never reach a consensus on the best way to do so. What is more, in the current climate of American social media, it seems like physicians are losing the battle to anti-vaccine misinformation. This renders the challenge of widespread vaccine administration more difficult.

We see increasingly vocal anti-vaxxers on social media, preCOVID stories of disease breakouts in schools, anti-vaccine protests shutting down vaccine clinics, and stories of healthcare professionals forgoing the COVID-19 vaccine. These are enough to make anyone feel dismayed about the ever-steepening uphill battle to get nationwide vaccination. Many physicians are, in essence, throwing in the towel; a September 2020 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that 51% of pediatricians surveyed had formal patient dismissal policies on record in their practices (for recalcitrant anti-vaxxers), and that there was an increase in the percentage of physicians practicing patient dismissal of 16% in the last eight years.

When we are no longer in a raging pandemic, there is an ethical debate to be had about the dismissal of patients for refusing vaccines. Ultimately, however, all good physicians want as many of their patients who can be vaccinated to be vaccinated. Physicians should not be the only ones combatting

DESPITE THE GALVANIZING SENTIMENT INSPIRED

BY GETTING THE MOST EFFECTIVE VACCINE IN HUMAN HISTORY, MANY PEOPLE ACROSS THE COUNTRY DO NOT WANT TO GET IT.

51% OF PEDIATRICIANS SURVEYED HAD FORMAL PATIENT DISMISSAL POLICIES ON RECORD IN THEIR PRACTICES (FOR RECALCITRANT ANTI-VAXXERS). the surge of misinformation coming from the vaccine wary. Many have already stepped up to combat this misinformation including public figures like Dr. Anthony Fauci and President Biden, and even social media companies. While it is fantastic that there are many public figures at all levels of government trying to help circulate accurate information so that people choose to get vaccinated, there are still several things that physicians and health care professionals can do to encourage vaccination.

First, every healthcare professional should lead by example and get the vaccine as soon as it is offered to them. Many healthcare workers have already received the vaccine, but there are still several that have not, and worse there are those that have chosen not to get vaccinated at all. It is understandable to be wary of a new drug, especially one that came about so quickly. It is also unlikely that anyone has the time to review all the data about the efficacy and the safety regarding the vaccine. Achieving nationwide vaccination will require some amount of trust in public and private organizations that have faced backlash and criticism, both founded and unfounded. It can be difficult to shake off perceptions of greedy pharmaceutical companies and corrupt SHOT Continued on Next Page

– SEPTEMBER 2020 STUDY IN THE JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION

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government, especially when those perceptions are all too often deserved. This is where healthcare professionals can make a real difference. Now is the time to be brave. Now is the time to live up to the reputation of “healthcare heroes” sparked at the start of the pandemic. Now is the time to showcase the leadership that the public expects out of healthcare workers. Showing others that the vaccine is safe by receiving it ourselves will help many, many people feel more comfortable getting it too. And we should not stop there. Tell everyone you can that you got the vaccine. Keep talking about it with friends and family, and on social media.

Together, we can drown out the abundance of misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccines and start rebuilding trust in the PERSUADING healthcare system.

THE VACCINESecond, physicians and healthcare personnel need to volunteer HESITANT TO GET VACCINATED whatever time they can to work at the vaccine clinics that are popping CAN FEEL LIKE up across the country. This is a lot A QUIXOTIC to ask, especially of those already pushed to the limit in hard hit ENDEAVOR areas, but it is crucial for the speedy WITH NO EASY administration of the vaccine to as SOLUTIONS. many people as possible. When I stood in line for the large vaccine clinic at Kroger Field, I was awestruck by the efficiency of it. When I volunteered to work there as an immunizer, my admiration only grew. Many patients that I immunized were visibly relieved afterwards and more than a few of them thanked me for my service. So many people have endured the physical and emotional burden of the pandemic and I was so proud of my small part in helping relieve that burden. Volunteering at these clinics is more than just shooting vaccines into people’s arms. After a year that has felt like an eternity, physicians and healthcare professionals can actively work to end the pandemic and rejuvenate themselves by seeing the visible relief on countless patients’ faces.

Finally, physicians and healthcare personnel need to advocate.

Healthcare workers need to raise awareness of vaccine clinics in their communities and demand more clinics for the communities unable to make it to the large vaccine clinics. Until vaccines

that do not require special freezers are approved, rural and poor communities will face major difficulties getting vaccinated.

Healthcare workers can help get vaccines to these people by urging communities to set up smaller vaccine clinics or by advocating for transportation services to bring patients to and from the clinics. Physicians and healthcare workers also need to urge lawmakers to create policies that work to end disparities between populations that have good access to care and those that do not. The pandemic has only made racial, gender, and financial inequalities in healthcare more apparent and has further alienated underserved Black, Latin, and rural populations. Rebuilding trust in these populations begins with working to get them vaccine accessibility and it only ends when all citizens in this country have the same access to care. This undertaking will continue long after the pandemic, but if we want to be prepared to deal with the next public health catastrophe, the groundwork needs to be laid now.

Persuading the vaccine-hesitant to get vaccinated can feel like a quixotic endeavor with no easy solutions. However, physicians and healthcare personnel can do their part to get as many people vaccinated against COVID-19 as possible by getting the vaccine themselves, volunteering their time at vaccine clinics, and advocating for patients in underserved communities.

Eventually we will reach a point where only the vaccine-hesitant are left to be vaccinated. For many of these people there may be nothing physicians can say to get them to choose the vaccine.

But hopefully, by tirelessly advocating for the COVID-19 vaccine and leading by example, physicians and healthcare personnel can win over even some of the more intransigent vaccine naysayers.

Ultimately, the decision to get vaccinated is the patient’s alone, but healthcare professionals can at least provide them with the information and access that will help them make the right decision.

About the Author Grant is a second-year medical student at the University of Kentucky.

He graduated from UK in 2016 with a BS in chemistry and again in 2017 with an MS in biology. Before starting medical school, he spent a couple gap years working in a biochemistry research lab working on a cure for Lafora’s Disease. After medical school Grant hopes to pursue a med/peds residency. In his spare time he tries to spend as much time as possible rock climbing in the Red River Gorge.

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LMS Needs Your Help Create a Short Video to Encourage Community Vaccinations

We are supporting our Lexington-Fayette County Health Department’s efforts to advocate for our community to get the COVID-19 vaccination and are requesting our members create short smart phone videos, “I got my COVID-19 vaccination to… (protect my patients, my community, my family). We will share these videos with our health department in their get vaccinated campaign efforts.

Either 1) Record it yourself using your smartphone and send it to lms@lexingtondoctors.org, or 2) Come to the Lexington Medical Society office and we will record you. Please call or email us to coordinate a date and time. We ask you to wear your white coat or scrubs in your recording.

Contact Chris Hickey, LMS EVP/CEO, at (859) 278-0569 or lms@lexingtondoctors.org if you have any questions.

TAKE CARE OF YOUR PATIENTS BY TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF.

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A MOMENT OF

SILENCE CREATE SPACE FOR SILENCE, AND MEET OUR PATIENTS WITH UNDERSTANDING AND COMPASSION

By Ellen Combs We all get to crossroads in our lives where our viewpoints and perspectives differ from our neighbor. If not a few times in our lives, this more than likely happens multiple times a day.

Unfortunately as we have seen throughout our country this year, we have allowed different points of view to create a drastic divide. We have allowed our differences to ostracize the opposing view. You would think we would listen, we would open our ears, to truly hear other thoughts and points of views. More often than not though, we fill those voids with noise, chatter, and opinions.

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If anything can come from the separation and division in thoughts and actions throughout the year 2020, it is that we could all use a moment in silence. We are taught throughout our medical education and in our beginning years that as we talk to patients and get their history and chief complaint, the most important aspects are to ask with open ended questions, create space for silence, and meet our patients with understanding and compassion. As healthcare professionals, we are called to bring this into our daily lives. We are called to provide a minute of stillness to allow the patient to speak on behalf of whatever it is that is concerning them.

This attribute of silence could be one of the missing puzzle pieces in the ability to encourage and persuade our patients. This brief portion of time shows the patient we give them our time and we give them their space for reflection. It shows them we sympathize with them and desire to acknowledge and explore whatever it is that worries them. Our ability to listen shows them that we care, and is one of, if not the most important playing card to bring to the table. What is missing right now throughout our country is that people want to be heard, they want to know they are being listened to.

Before we approach any outline, plan, or procedure to go about convincing someone they should say yes to the COVID19 vaccine, it is our job to provide the space for vulnerability.

When we give our patients this moment of silence, they know they can trust us, they know they can express their concerns and worries, they know they are being heard. This is where we get to meet them and encourage them from a place of companionship and equality. Only here can we be heard, can we be trusted, and where we can use our platform as healthcare workers to make a difference in our community during this pandemic.

At that moment in time where you have created a space for safe speech can you create an impact. Here you can touch on all the research that has funds surpassing a multitude of other vaccines researched. You can debunk the myths of infertility, scares of side effects, or fears of inflammatory or autoimmune reactions. Here you can breakdown what an mRNA vaccine does in your body and what side effects you can expect. You can discuss that mRNA vaccines have already been researched and many of the research from this past year started from cancer vaccine platforms and other research already undergone. You have the opportunity to discuss all the long term side effects from being infected by the virus itself that many people overlook

and encourage the use of the COVID-19 vaccine to prevent this from happening to your patient or their loved ones. You can discuss why you chose to get vaccinated and how it has allowed you to provide safety to the ones you love.

This space provided for the patient will show them there is no judgement in their decision. There is no finalized answer or requirement by the end of the visit. They do not have to leave this visit signed up for the vaccine just yet. What they have left this visit with though, is the full knowledge of the virus and vaccine and the benefits and side effects. That moment of silence provided the space for the patient to become fully informed while being fully listened to and for them to have a space to come back to when they have thought about all the information presented and decide to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

I think providing the right environment can end up be more important than the strategies used to convey the information.

So I urge you, take a moment of silence right now. Think of the times you have cut someone short to interject your thoughts or ideas. Stop yourself next time and hear them. Hear their concerns, thoughts, and ideas. Then you can meet them halfway. You have the opportunity to work through it together and find the positives in how the COVID-19 vaccine is making a difference across the world and can make a difference right here and now for this patient and their family and friends. Remind them that it is their decision, and they are the caretakers of their own body. Although this all seems easier said than done, unfortunately many physicians miss this vital aspect. They get wrapped up in what is right vs. wrong and lecturing vs. communicating with patients. The physician patient relationship is everything.

The environment and space for thought is everything.

The moment of silence is everything.

SO PLEASE...

TAKE THAT

MOMENT OF SILENCE.

About the Author Ellen Combs is a second year medical student at the University of Kentucky. While undecided on her future specialty, she loves continuity of care and working with all ages, and enjoys volunteering to give COVID vaccines to end the pandemic. "Medical school has been one of the hardest things I have ever done, but by far one of the most rewarding ones."

Think of the times you have cut someone short to interject your thoughts or ideas. Stop yourself next time and hear them.

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D

id you know 16 percent of the canines arriving at your Lexington Humane Society are seniors? Did you know 100 percent of them are adorable?

We LOVE our seniors! We believe every animal deserves the chance at a fresh start, regardless of age. When we were presented with the opportunity to help a group of senior dogs who

had spent a lifetime wondering what life was like outside of a chain-link kennel, we jumped at the chance!

These dogs ranged in age from 6 to 9 years.

They had lived in outside kennels with little human contact for years. Needless to say, they were shy and nervous when they arrived at LHS. Luckily, they are now blossoming, thanks

to the love and attention they’ve received from our staff. Some have already been adopted, while others have needed more extensive medical care and time in foster homes. All of them will receive the TLC they so desperately deserve.

A lot of coordination goes into assisting with a rescue operation. Establishing safe transport,

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Lexington Humane Society needs YOUR help! Adopt a senior pet into your family.

doing medical and behavioral assessments and providing enrichment and medical care requires lots of hours and money – all while caring for the hundreds of animals already with us. But that didn’t deter us. These dogs needed us and they deserved our help.

Now we need YOUR help! Adopt a senior pet into your family. If you can’t adopt, please DONATE today to help us care for young and old alike.

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| Spring 2021 | www.kentuckydoc.com

COMMUNITY NEWS A N N O U N C E M E N T S , AWA R D S , E V E N T S & M O R E

Officers announced for Lexington Clinic’s 2021 Board of Directors

Just in Time Funding for Vaccine Trips. Senior Transportation

LEXINGTON, KY. – 1/29/2021 – At Lexington Clinic’s annual Board of Directors meeting the following officers were elected to serve for the year:

LEXINGTON, KY. (February 11, 2021) – We are very pleased to announce that ITNBluegrass, the Independent Transportation Network, has received a $14,000 grant from Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky to fund 500 trips to Covid-19 vaccine appointments to ensure access to this lifesaving shot of hope. This funding for vaccine trips for those 60+ and adults with vision impairments comes just in time as Kentucky on March 1st starts vaccinating group 1 C, which includes all those over 60 years of age and those with qualifying health conditions. Now we are able to help even more underserved communities to have access to the mobility they need to receive the vaccine. “As the vaccine rollout plan progressed in Central Kentucky, lack of transportation became one of the key barriers to seniors and those with vision impairments getting vaccinated. Toyota’s very generous donation allows ITNBluegrass to provide trips to those who lack transportation whether they are regular members of ITN or not,” said ITNBluegrass’ Executive Director Jennifer Gripshover. Each ride will feature ITN’s arm-through-arm, door-through-door extra assistance, walking each individual 60 years of age or older or any adult with a vision impairment all the way through the vaccine clinic to ensure their safety from their front door until we return them back home. “ITN's commitment to ensuring mobility for seniors and the visually impaired in Fayette County makes them a great community partner,”

Michael T. Cecil, M.D.

Kyle J. Childers, M.D.

Shailendra Chopra, M.D.

Robert A. Davenport, M.D.

President

Secretary

Vice-President

Treasurer

Haider Abbas, M.D., David Alexander, M.D., An-Yu Chen, M.D., Jamil Farooqui, M.D., Tharun Karthikeyan, M.D., Jordan Prendergast, M.D., Mr. Nick Rowe and Mr. Alan Stein.

“Lexington Clinic is committed to perfecting the patient experience. By using modern data analytics, best practice protocols, experience and compassion, we aim to provide the highest quality care to the people of Central Kentucky,” said Dr. Cecil, board president.

said Kim Sweazy, an external affairs analyst at Toyota Kentucky. "We are proud to partner with them again and believe this service is desperately needed to help ensure seniors and low vision and no vision adults can complete their COVID-19 vaccinations in a timely manner.”

Baptist Health Virtual Alzheimer's Disease, Dementia Program set for April 22 (Paducah, Ky.) April 1, 2021 — A telemedicine program for caregivers impacted by Alzheimer’s disease and dementia will take place 5:30 to 7 p.m.

Thursday, April 22. The program is virtual, so it will not be taking place at Baptist Health Paducah as it has in the past.

This educational session will include what to expect as the disease progresses and loved ones lose their ability to communicate with words and may express their needs through behaviors. There also will be tips on learning common behavior triggers and how to respond. In addition, there will be discussion on creative activities caregivers can do with their loved ones as the weather warms up.

A question and answer session will follow the program, so participants are encouraged to ask about memory disorders, brain health, and care and treatment for their loved ones.

Register for the virtual program at https:// tinyurl.com/RCPAPRIL or by phone at 859.257.6507. The educational session is provided by the University of Kentucky Sanders-Brown Center on Aging.

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SHARE YOUR STORY WITH THE COMMUNITY. E M A I L B R I A N @ R O C K P O I N T P U B L I S H I N G . C O M T O H AV E Y O U R N E W S P U B L I S H E D.

Lexington Clinic Administers COVID19 Vaccine to Physicians and Staff LEXINGTON, KY. – 1/8/2021 – 7th February 2021 was a historic day at Lexington Clinic as the first batch of physicians, providers and staff received COVID-19 vaccinations. The team was all smiles as they rolled up their sleeves to protect themselves, their patients, their families and

the community. Post the vaccination, the team members posed with placards telling why/for whom they got vaccinated. “Today is a momentous occasion in our fight against COVID-19 as we are able to provide this vaccine to all our healthcare workers,” said Dr. Andrew Henderson, CEO of Lexington Clinic. Dr. Henderson further added that the healthcare workers were being scheduled for

their 2nd dose in four weeks. “This is indeed the #shotofhope,” said Dr. Henderson. “And we feel that our frontline healthcare workers will be protected…and that there is an end to this pandemic in sight.” Glimpses of Lexington Clinic’s vaccination activity can be viewed on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ LexingtonClinicKY.

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| Spring 2021 | www.kentuckydoc.com

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EXAMPLE and Engaging the Community to Promote COVID-19 Vaccination

By Nicole Robertson The COVID-19 pandemic has claimed nearly half a million American lives in the year since the first confirmed case in the U.S. In Kentucky, COVID-19 related deaths rank as the third most common cause of death. The pandemic has isolated families, taken away loved ones, and further highlighted existing health inequities. The COVID-19 vaccine is a beacon of hope to return to normalcy and prevent community spread of this fatal virus.

However, the CDC reports that only 58% of the general public said they would elect to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. People fear the unknown, and their initial hesitancy is a normal human response.

We have heard patients express “the vaccine was pushed through and rushed,” “I’m afraid I’ll catch the virus from the shot,” and “my friend got the corona virus even after getting the shot.” Many people are concerned about the side effects, efficacy, safety, and cost associated with the vaccine. As physicians and healthcare personnel we can encourage use of the COVID-19 vaccine by leading by example; educating and communicating with patients regarding the vaccine; and increasing accessibility to the COVID19 vaccine.

In December physicians and healthcare personnel were first given the opportunity to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. We saw frontline workers and prominent figures like Dr. Anthony Fauci receive a COVID-19 vaccine publicly on TV. Today, the vaccine is offered to the most “vulnerable” community members and essential workers. Healthcare workers are community leaders and have the unique responsibility to lead by example.

Healthcare workers that receive the COVID-19 vaccine should feel empowered to share their personal stories and reasons for vaccination with the community. With the vast amount of misinformation available on social media and misleading guidance on the internet today, physicians and healthcare personnel should share evidence-based, empathetic messages about the COVID-19 vaccine. For some community members personal stories about experience with the COVID-19 vaccine can be the most powerful motivator to take action. We can frame messages to consider the positive impact vaccination can have in prevention rather than stigmatizing individuals for their beliefs related to vaccine hesitancy. With this we can collaborate with trusted community leaders such as faith leaders, school leadership, politicians, and business leaders to share our stories with diverse communities, especially where COVID-19 health inequities are most profound.

This will not only build a foundation of trust surrounding vaccination, but the healthcare system in general.

In order to educate our patients and communities about the COVID-19, we must first be educated on the facts surrounding the vaccine ourselves. Many hospital systems around the country have implemented educational workshops targeted at healthcare workers the weeks leading up to receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.

This increases trust and reduces hesitancy surrounding the COVID-19 vaccine. Healthcare workers thus feel more confident in engaging with patients to reduce the spread of misinformation.

Also, I suggest we implement educational interventions that equip healthcare workers with the tools to educate their patients

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www.kentuckydoc.com | Spring 2021 | Kentucky

and communities on the COVID-19 vaccine. With this we can effectively counsel patients on receiving the vaccine and address vaccine hesitancy. As healthcare workers we should start from a place of empathy and understanding, give a strong recommendation to get vaccinated, address misinformation by sharing evidence-based facts, listen and respond to all questions, and proactively explain potential vaccine side effects. With the rise of vaccine hesitancy in the general population, we should advocate for strengthening the capacity of healthcare workers to have empathetic vaccine conversations while addressing myths and common questions that patients may have.

This can be achieved by encouraging medical students to utilize motivational interviewing techniques when talking to patients hesitant about vaccination. Additionally, hosting workshops for healthcare personnel can be beneficial to teach how to effectively deliver tailored COVID-19 vaccine information for patients. All healthcare personnel from an intake nurse to a primary care doctor to a pharmacist can have a role in promoting COVID-19 vaccination.

For individuals that question the safety of the COVID-19 vaccines, we should explain that COVID-19 vaccines are being held to the same high standards as all other FDA-approved vaccines. Because safety is a priority, vaccine safety monitoring systems exist with no substantial safety concerns reported in clinical trials aside from few severe allergic reactions reported. We should promote a culture that builds confidence in COVID-19 vaccination.

When community members are offered the COVID-19 vaccine it is of the utmost importance to make the vaccine accessible in terms of affordability and location. In Kentucky, the Kentucky Department of Public Health’s COVID-19 vaccination program provides vaccines at no cost and is given regardless of a patient’s ability to pay. Because a common concern about the COVID-19 vaccine is the cost, it is important to communicate these benefits to patients considering the COVID-19 vaccination. In order to make the vaccine accessible in terms of location, healthcare personnel can engage with vaccination program leadership to advocate for distribution locations easily accessible to underserved patient populations. For example, we can ensure vaccination programs take place near bus lines, consider individuals with limited mobility, and engage underserved and vulnerable patient populations in discussions on where to locate vaccination delivery programs. Knowing the COVID-19 vaccine is free and easy to reach increases the uptake of the vaccine.

As physicians and healthcare personnel, we have the privilege to care for and better our community. Therefore, we can actively promote COVID-19 vaccination through leading by example and communicating with an empathetic and understanding tone. We can fight against the virus that has claimed the lives of the people close to us and taken away life’s simple pleasures. Vaccination is a selfless way to protect ourselves, our loved ones, and our beloved community.

Many people are concerned about the side effects, efficacy, safety, and cost associated with the vaccine.

About the Author Nicole is a second-year medical student at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine. Before attending medical school, she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Public Health and Biology at the University of Louisville and her Master’s degree in Public Health at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland.Nicole's passion to advance healthcare access and utilization through community collaboration inspired this essay.

| Spring 2021 | www.kentuckydoc.com

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GIVING PATIENTS A

VOICE

By Meggie Lund

“What are your feelings about this issue that has been going on with your health? Do you have any ideas about what may be going on? How is this affecting your daily function? What expectations do you have for today’s visit?”

As a first-year medical student learning how to interview patients, I struggled to understand the importance of these notorious “FIFE” questions (feelings, ideas, function, and expectations) and how to ask them in a sensitive, rapport-building way. To my naïve brain, I thought patients would present themselves in simplified terms because they didn’t know what was going on, they didn’t like it, and they wanted to be fixed. I envisioned that I, with my soon-to-be-amassed array of medical knowledge, would take a thorough history, figure out their problem, and send them happily on their way. However, I quickly learned through real-life patient interactions that this perspective was wildly ignorant of the varying realities of health literacy, cultural beliefs, and past experiences that influence patient-provider interactions. It dismissed the fact that although patients trust you enough to come to you for care, they also come with their worldview and concerns that must be understood in order to be addressed. When it comes to encouraging patients to receive the COVID vaccine, the first step is to establish this patient-centered conversation.

In an era of 15-minute doctor’s appointments and physicians notoriously churning through charts, many patients admit to feeling rushed through the process. I personally have experienced a doctor’s visit where the doctor was 45 minutes late to see me but was edging towards the door within 10 minutes of her arrival. Technically, she did everything right, in the sense that she identified my rash and prescribed a treatment. But she was out the door before I had a split second to think about concerns that I may have about the treatment and ensuing management. I did not leave feeling heard by my doctor, and I certainly didn’t feel my opinions were factored into the decision-making process. Although I had only minimal concern about temporary use of a topical antifungal, I’ve since met in clinic many patients who are rightfully worried about the long-term implications of taking a medication indefinitely. Patients who would prefer to continue to manage their diabetes with lifestyle measures, but whose HbA1c levels have progressively crept up. Patients who want their provider to realize that committing to a daily medication

I hope to begin by making the patient feel respected, heard, and understood.

VOICE Continued on Next Page

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| Spring 2021 | www.kentuckydoc.com

VOICE continued from Previous Page

schedule will require organized effort on their part. Patients who may not fully understand that the risks of their condition being left untreated statistically outweigh the risk of adverse effects. And it’s true that no medical intervention is without risk – after all, Advil can cause stomach ulcers and even a fatal GI bleed, but we sell it over the counter. We as physicians must take the time and initiative to understand our patients and empower them to take autonomy over their own health – to be partners in decision-making rather than passively allowing their providers to be ultimate authorities. As the sporadic cases of anaphylaxis after COVID-19 vaccination have proven, and considering the many persistent unknowns about longterm effects in kids and pregnancy and efficacy in general, patients have reason to hesitate before offering up their arms for a vaccine that is by no means guaranteed to be benign.

History itself has proven the potential dangers of vaccines and has set a precedent for current attitudes towards new vaccinations.

Looking back to the last great vaccination effort during the polio epidemic in the 1950’s, it can be easy for those of us who didn’t personally experience the horror of treating polio patients to laud the accomplishment of vaccine innovation without acknowledging its challenges. In the Cutter incident, 200,000 children were accidentally inoculated with a live strain of polio (instead of being properly killed per Salk’s vaccine preparation), of which 70,000 children became ill, 200 were permanently paralyzed, and 10 died. And yet, vaccination efforts persisted, quickly eradicating the disease in the United States. I can only imagine that parents were terrified to hear of children who died from receiving the vaccine. I’m sure someone out there argued that without receiving

Rather than reciting a script on the merits of vaccination...

the vaccine, those kids may have lived to adulthood without ever coming in contact with the virus. And it may be true. But much like our hospitals have recently been filled with patients whose ravaged lungs are being sustained with breath by ventilators, polio-era hospitals were full of the “iron lung” chambers. We as healthcare providers, who see firsthand the devastating effects of these pandemic-driving viruses, are responsible for being informed about both the risks and benefits of the vaccines we are offering and communicating accurate information to our patients.

So when the COVID-19 vaccine becomes widely available and I find myself in clinic talking to patients about whether or not they will elect to receive it, I realize that, with my medical background and knowledge, I am biased to advocate for every eligible patient to receive their shot. But rather than reciting a script on the merits of vaccination, I hope to begin by making the patient feel respected, heard, and understood. I hope to factually dispel any misinformation that they have heard, I hope to acknowledge both their struggles during the pandemic to date and their fears about the uncertainty of the pandemic’s future, and I hope that their decision to vaccinate feels like their own decision to reclaim ownership of normalcy and health in their day-to-day life.

About the Author A current third year medical student at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Meggie Lund is from Villa Hills, KY. She has proudly helped vaccinate her fellow Kentuckians against COVID19 and is passionate about making patients equal members of their healthcare team.

... I hope to acknowledge their fears and factually dispel any misinformation.

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www.kentuckydoc.com | Spring 2021 | Kentucky

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30 Kentucky

| Spring 2021 | Business Section | www.kentuckydoc.com

HOW OFTEN DO YOU TAKE TIME TO ASK YOURSELF THE BIG QUESTION:

who are you influencing?

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www.kentuckydoc.com | Business Section | Spring 2021 | Kentucky

WHAT IS

LEADERSHIP?

By Brian Lord, Publisher If you have ever Read John Maxwell’s books you know he talks about nothing else but leadership. Leadership is key in a society where people hear a lot of voices competing for followers. We have a society with a lot of voices but who are the real leaders? Is it you? In John Maxwells book The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership you know that one of his tope areas he talks about as a Leader is Influence. He says that “the true measure of leadership is influence nothing more, nothing less.” This, of course, is one of John Maxwell’s most famous quotes heard around the world (and world-wide web).

It’s a great quote, but how often do you take time to ask yourself the big question: who are you influencing? From your home to work, church, neighbors, friends? Maybe a bigger question for us to ask is, what type of influence are we offering those who follow us? You can be a boss, or you can be a leader. Leaders make change. Leaders open doors. Leaders take people with them to new places. Leaders change the direction of others. That is influence. Are you a leader?

Think about the insecure leaders who often influence people in such a way that it keeps others down in order to protect their own position of leadership in the group. This is a shame. The best leaders realize that leadership is always about raising people up to their highest potential, even if it means they one day become better leaders than themselves. When we look around you can see leaders. The man or women who when they are in a group everyone listens. The person people always want to be around. The person who seems to know how to get things done. Leadership is not determined by having a title. It doesn’t matter if you are CEO,

Pastor, Director, Manager, or Head of the House; you are not a leader if people do not follow your lead.

In John Maxwell’s book he says, “True leadership cannot be awarded, appointed, or assigned. It comes only from influence, and that cannot be mandated. It must be earned.” He goes on to say, “When it comes to identifying a real leader… don’t listen to the claims of the person professing to be the leader. Don’t examine his or her credentials. Don’t check his title. Check his influence. The proof of leadership is found in the followers.” He ends the chapter with a famous leadership proverb, “He who thinks he leads, but has no followers, is only taking a walk.” I laugh at that. But it’s so true. If your voice, your actions, your way of living do not cause change in people to move where you are going you are not leading.

Leadership captures the essentials of being able and prepared to inspire others. Effective leadership is based upon ideas—both original and borrowed—that are effectively communicated to others in a way that engages them enough to act as the leader wants them to act.

So when your staff and your team look to you to give leadership, be a person who inspires others to act while simultaneously directing the way that they act. Seek or grow in ways to be personable enough for others to follow your direction, give orders with a call to how can I help this person value what I am asking or telling them to do?

That means a good leader must possess some level of critical thinking skills to know the best way to use the resources at an organization’s disposal, and how to mobilize the people they have, and attract the people they need.

Finally, people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. So, when you are leading people, yes, they care that you are an expert or have a plan, but they also want to follow a person who cares about them. So, don’t overlook this. Mobilizing people to act involves winning their hearts and the mind.

“He who thinks he leads, but has no followers, is only taking a walk.”

– John Maxwell

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