Health Issue Day

Verde Valley Leadership Health Issue Day

(Cottonwood, AZ)- Members of Class V from Verde Valley Leadership enjoyed an educational ‘Issue Day’ on the topic of ‘Health’ on Friday, December 17, 2010 at the Verde Valley Medical Center (VVMC) in Cottonwood, AZ.

As a part of their class participation in Verde Valley Leadership, each class member has the opportunity to plan and organize Issue Days throughout the year. The Issue Day promotes community awareness and exposes the class members to various businesses, organizations, situations, and needs in the Verde Valley.

Team members from Class V; Krishan Gingie, Mark Johnson and Leslie McLean coordinated a variety of presenters from around the Verde Valley to speak to their class on Friday, December 17.

Throughout the day the class was educated on the variety of medical and health services available to them in their community.

The day began with Barbara Dember, who is the Vice President of Professional Services at the Verde Valley Medical Center. Barbara covered such topics as improving the health of the community as well as the goal to make Sedona a cancer treatment destination. She also explained that “being a teaching hospital has made Verde Valley Medical Center a better hospital.”

Ray Selna, Treasurer of the Board of Directors for the Verde Valley Medical Center, continued the day by focusing on some of the goals of VVMC. One specific goal was to join the boards from the Flagstaff Medical Center and VVMC together to form one. He also mentioned that “the quality numbers of VVMC are better than Flagstaff currently for patients.”

Class V was then given an in-depth explanation of the various programs the Verde Valley Guidance Clinic offers. During the presentations that Patty May, Program Manager, Monty Bondurant, Adult Program Director and Scott Roderick, Children’s Program Director shared, one main focus was made clear to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the service they provide.

Following lunch, Dr. Mark Laursen educated the class on the personal, business and societal ramifications about obesity and what the community, can do about it. He became the first medical doctor in the United States to obtain both an integrated holistic board and naturopathic certification. He has published several books and encourages the community to “turn health problems into creative challenges.”

The issue day proved to be one filled with information that each class member could take with them and use in their everyday environment whether at home or work.