Director's Message April 1, 2022
April is Whole Health Month, and this is a great program that everyone should know about. Health care is about more than just prescribing people medications.
The goal of any doctor should be to help a patient live their best life. The theory of Whole Health is based on the idea that a patient will be more motivated to make healthy choices if those choices are oriented toward their goals.
There are several aspects to the Whole Health program, but a big part of it is framing health care conversations differently. In the past, a doctor might have looked at a patient’s lab work and lectured them about how they needed to eat better to lower their risk of heart attack and diabetes. This often caused the patient to feel shame or sadness, but it didn’t motivate them to make better choices for their health.
Whole Health is about shifting the focus of these conversations so that they can center on the needs of the patient. For example, if a patient is older but still living at home, they might tell a doctor that their goal is to not end up in a nursing home. That gives the doctor the opportunity to start conversations about what they can do to achieve that goal. For a patient to stay in their home, they’ll need to maintain their mobility. They might want to start doing Tai Chi and Yoga. If the doctor had lectured them on exercising more, that wouldn’t have been very motivating. However, when the doctor relates exercise to achieving their goals, then they are more likely to feel motivated.
Veterans can go to the VA’s Whole Health website to sign up for classes or learn more about Whole Health. Of course, Veterans can also just make an appointment with their primary care provider and talk with them about Whole Health by calling 1-800-214-1306.
Military Sexual Assault Awareness Month
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is committed to supporting survivors of military sexual trauma (MST) year-round, and April marks a particularly important time for action — Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). MST affects more people than you may think- One in four female Veterans and one in twenty male Veteran’s report to the VHA that they experienced MST during their military service. During SAAM, VA PIHCS is placing special emphasis on standing alongside Veterans who experienced MST sexual trauma outside of military service and stating, “We believe you, and we believe in you.” Specifically, we believe your story of MST even if others have not and we believe that healing from the effects of MST and growth after MST can be yours. VA PIHCS offers flexible treatment options tailored to meet each survivor’s needs and preferences. Eligibility for VA’s MST-related care is expansive, and no documentation of the MST experience is required. Survivors do not need to have reported the experience at the time it occurred, to have sought care within a certain time frame, or to have applied for service connection. Interested individuals can contact the VA PIHCS MST Coordinator and Associate Coordinator directly at (808) 433-0674.
The teal ribbon signifies support for survivors of sexual assault. Join us in wearing the color teal on “Teal Tuesdays” during the month of April to show support for survivors of sexual assault.
Stress Awareness Month
It’s also National Stress Awareness Month, and it’s important to take a moment to reflect on what that means. It’s a good idea to broaden your awareness of stress and to seek out ways to address and manage it whenever possible. Stress contributes to many diseases, and part of a healthy lifestyle is learning to manage stress.
National African American Women’s Fitness Month
In addition, April is National African American Women’s Fitness Month. Heart disease, stroke and cancer are some of the leading causes of death among African American women in America. National African American Women’s Fitness month was established in 2006 to raise awareness about the leading health issues targeting African American women.
This is a good opportunity to remind our African American Women Veterans to participate in the Million Veteran Program (MVP). The Million Veteran Program has the most diverse genetic database on Earth, and part of their research is specifically looking into genetic diseases that affect African American women, and seeking better screening protocols, preventative medicine, and perhaps even treatments. If you are a Veteran who has not yet participated in the Million Veteran Program, please get in touch with Research Admin Officer Sedra Graves at 808-433-0125 or email at Sedra.Graves@va.gov.
Moloka’i Changes
There was a Town Hall Meeting with the Moloka'i Veterans to address any concerns regarding VA Health Care services. I was happy to report that we secured a new location for our CBOC, and that we secured over 30 new Care In The Community (CITC) providers. I want to thank our Veterans for being so patient during our transition from Moloka'i General Hospital Outpatient Clinic to Napua Wi Care Center. We will continue to provide safe, compassionate, quality care to all veterans in Moloka’i, and anyone with questions may call 1-800-214-1306.
One Team, One Ohana!
Adam M. Robinson, Jr., MD, MBA, CPE
Director, VA Pacific Islands Health Care System
VADM, MC, USN, (RET)
36th Surgeon General, USN
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