Like all of you, my journey to becoming a physician took many steps. Thirty-one years after taking the Hippocratic Oath, I still love what I do, but I will admit that the challenges of treating patients feel heavier and more difficult than ever before.
But, as an ancient Chinese Proverb so eloquently states, “the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
As KMA members, we have a desire and a goal to make Kentucky healthier. Through our public health campaigns over the last several years, we’ve reached millions of Kentuckians on important issues like vaccinations and lung health. But there are still many issues facing Kentucky patients.
According to the 2023 America’s Health Rankings Annual Report, Kentucky is 41st in the country overall in health. In addition:
- Kentucky ranks 49th in Exercise and 40th in Obesity. Plus, we are 43rd in food insecurity.
- We are 47th in drug-related deaths and 46th in insufficient sleep.
- Kentucky is 48th in frequent physical distress
- And this might not surprise anyone, but we are 46th in tobacco use.
With 80% of chronic disease and 40% of cancers directly linked to our lifestyle choices, I’m excited to announce that KMA and the Kentucky Foundation for Medical Care (KFMC) will soon be kicking off a new two-year public health campaign titled “Small STEPS, Big Impact,” thanks to a grant from the Kentucky Department for Public Health. The effort will address many of our state’s most pressing health issues by encouraging patients to achieve long-term success through taking simple steps in their lifestyles that can add up to a big impact on their health.
Small STEPS, Big Impact will focus on five key areas—Screenings, Tobacco use, Exercise and Nutrition, Physician visits, and Stress, and offer straightforward strategies and support for patients.
Of course, to tackle all of these issues, it will take each and every one of us walking with our patients as they take steps towards these goals. That’s why we intend to make this initiative as physician-led as possible, utilizing the incredible leaders in our membership and particularly those that have graduated from KMA’s Kentucky Physicians Leadership Institute (KPLI) program. This will be a wonderful opportunity to serve as a spokesperson and advocate for your patients and help thousands of Kentuckians on their journey to a healthier version of themselves. We’d also love to have you involved by simply sharing our resources with your patients or attending one of the program’s CME events.
It’s also important for us to have all the resources we need to lead our patients. To support you in this effort, the American College of Lifestyle Medicine (one of the newest specialties added to the AMA this past June) is offering 5.5 hours of free CME from its Lifestyle Medicine and Food as Medicine Essentials Course for all KMA members. Members can enroll by selecting “REGISTER NOW” at www.lifestylemedicine.org/essentials, logging in or creating an ACLM account, and entering the promo code ESS-KMASTEPS at check out.
I have always said that the value in the KMA is that physicians’ collective voice is more powerful than our voices as individuals. I am looking forward to the opportunity to serve as your KMA President. Thank you for being a member and for walking beside me, as together, we make Kentucky a healthier place!
