KU School of Medicine-Wichita

17 MPH: The state's chief medical ocer Dereck Totten, M.D., MPH, sees his role as Kansas' chief medical ocer as "the icing on the cake" of his upbringing in the state; education in KU's university, medical school and residency programs; and nearly a decade of rural practice. Totten and his wife, Kysha Nichols-Totten, M.D., have practiced full-spectrum family medicine, including obstetrics, in Colby since 2016. He's nurtured and put his background in population health to work as Thomas County medical ocer and providing evidence-based care at his group practice. "We can look at, say, hemoglobin A1C, and examine trends so we can start to move the needle on outcomes. It's not just taking the same recommendation but really looking at what's unique to that area and population," Totten says. Totten is still learning what the CMO role entails, with duties that mix policy, preparedness and consulting on individual medical cases or potential disease outbreaks. "I jump in when there's a medical question, like an odd tuberculosis case they need advice on. Or consulting on policy questions on family planning," Totten says. "I'm someone with a rural health background, and one of my biggest honors is to bring that perspective to the conversation." MPH FEATURE Allison Honn, MBA, program manager Population Health Though COVID-19 was the seed from which Facts Not Fear ICT grew, the initiative has progressed with the changing needs of our community. Population health experts began by helping Wichitans identify COVID-19 misinformation and access care. They promoted testing and eased fears about vaccinations. The grant was designed to improve health outcomes and address health disparities exacerbated by COVID-19 in Wichita by improving health literacy. Four priority populations disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 in Wichita were: Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian or Asian American, and American Indian or Alaska Native adults. This initiative continued to develop as community needs were identified. The expansion included disseminating messaging and education programs in addition to COVID-19 on topics including nutrition, stress and mental health, health visits and screenings, and substance use disorder. These programs were designed by Population Health colleagues at KUSM-W led by Elizabeth Ablah, Ph.D., MPH, CPH, professor, and team members Amanda Aguila-Gonzalez, Ph.D., MPH, and Allison Honn, MBA. There is more collaboration with clinics and community service organizations to improve communication between physicians and their patients. Community members are receiving state-certified training to contribute to an entry-level mental health workforce. The community at large is receiving detailed information to improve mental health literacy, using campaigns and short videos in multiple languages that provide tools and resources addressing the signs and symptoms of common mental illnesses. Ablah and her team will continue to address attitudes and behaviors to empower people to be successful and achieve their goals. Community members' health at the core throughout its evolution B A C K G R O U N D

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