News Room - 2012 - News Release A to Z Topic Listing KDHE News Release For Immediate Release KDHE Office of Communications January 3, 2012 [email protected], 785-296-0461 KDHE Promotes Cancer Screenings and HPV Vaccination During Cervical Health Awareness Month TOPEKA – In recognition of Cervical Health Awareness Month, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) encourages women to schedule their annual well-woman checkups. According to a 2010 Kansas Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) report, approximately 17 percent of Kansas women aged 18 and older did not have a Pap test within the past three years. "Pap tests decrease the risk of developing cervical cancer by detecting precancerous cells which, when found early, are highly treatable," said Robert Moser, M.D., KDHE Secretary and State Health Officer. “Women should have their first screening Pap test at age 21, or within three years of becoming sexually active if younger." Although cervical cancer was once the leading cancer killer of women, the number of cases has declined 75 percent in the past 50 years, largely because of the widely available and reliable Pap test. Even so, an estimated 12,000 women in the United States are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year. In 2007, 4,021 women died from cervical cancer in the United States. In 2008, 76 Kansas cases were diagnosed, with 24 deaths due to cervical cancer in 2010. Most cervical cancer cases are caused by infection with human papillomavirus (HPV), a common sexually transmitted disease. HPV infection can also cause a number of other health problems for both men and women. An HPV vaccine is available to prevent many of these potential health problems and is routinely recommended for both females and males at 11-12 years of age. The three dose series is to be given over a six month period. If an adolescent misses receiving the three recommended doses, they may catch up during 13-26 years of age. Most health insurance policies cover the cost of vaccines. If an adolescent does not have an insurance plan that covers vaccines, the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program may be able to help. VFC provides vaccines at no cost to doctors who serve eligible children. Ask your doctor or contact your local health department to learn more about the VFC program, or visit www.cdc.gov/vaccines/. KDHE's Early Detection Works (EDW) program provides breast and cervical cancer screening for uninsured women age 40 to 64 who meet income guidelines. For more information about the EDW program, call toll free 1-877-277-1368 or visit www.kdheks.gov/edw. For more information about Kansas cancer resources and information, visit www.cancerkansas.org. # # # At KDHE, our mission is to protect and improve the health and environment of all Kansans. Through education, direct services and the assessment of data and trends, coupled with policy development and enforcement, KDHE will improve health and quality of life. We prevent illness, injuries and foster a safe and sustainable environment for the people of Kansas. Back to KDHE News Release Index News Room - 2012 - News Release A to Z Topic Listing KDHE News Release For Immediate Release KDHE Office of Communications January 4, 2012 [email protected], 785-296-0461 Kansas Ended Year with 245 School Districts on KSWebIZ KDHE Adds 2 More Today- USDs 500, 230 TOPEKA, Kan. –At the end of 2011, the State of Kansas had 245 school districts enrolled in KSWebIZ—the state’s web-based immunization registry, and two more districts and their school nurses are scheduled to begin using the registry by the end of today. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment’s (KDHE) Immunization Program conducted a KSWebIZ training session this morning, Jan. 4, with approximately 40 school nurses representing Kansas City, Kan., Public Schools (KCKPS). A second training session is scheduled later today with nurses from the Spring Hill School District. With KCKPS (Unified School District 500) and Spring Hill (USD 230), Kansas will have a total of 247 school districts using KSWebIZ. All of Kansas’ 105 county health departments are currently using KSWebIZ, and KDHE continues to work with health care providers and schools to bring more users into the registry. "With the 36 private health care providers and the 114 school nurses who enrolled with KSWebIZ during 2011, Kansas is moving in the right direction with immunization registry. I look forward to our staff working with even more school districts and providers during 2012," said KDHE Secretary and State Health Officer Robert Moser, M.D. "KSWebIZ is a secure system, allowing health care professionals to more effectively and efficiently maintain electronic immunization records throughout a Kansan's life." KSWebIZ was launched in 2005 with the enrollment of private providers and local health departments and, in 2008, began to add public and private schools. After today, 187 private providers, 105 health departments and 957 schools (247 districts) have access to KSWebIZ, including USDs 500 and 230. "School nurses using KSWebIZ have access to providers’ immunization records on students and have the ability to further complete the students’ records by adding to the registry other immunization information they may have had prior to using KSWebIZ," said Kansas Immunization Program Director Ryan Burns. "The system also allows nurses to determine what vaccines their students may need." # # # At KDHE, our mission is to protect and improve the health and environment of all Kansans. Through education, direct services and the assessment of data and trends, coupled with policy development and enforcement, KDHE will improve health and quality of life. We prevent illness, injuries and foster a safe and sustainable environment for the people of Kansas. Back to KDHE News Release Index News Room - 2012 - News Release A to Z Topic Listing KDHE News Release For Immediate Release KDHE Office of Communications January 4, 2012 [email protected], 785-296-0461 Moser names KDHE's Director of Health Care Finance, Director of Medicaid Services Secretary Also Announces Assistant Secretary for Policy and External Affairs TOPEKA, Kan.— Robert Moser, M.D., Secretary for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), today announced the selections for two key positions in the agency’s Division of Health Care Finance (DHCF). Effective today, Kari Bruffett is the Director of Health Care Finance, leading a division with close to 180 staff responsible for Kansas’ Medicaid program and the State Employee Health Plan. Susan Mosier, M.D., has been named Director of Medicaid Services and will start work at KDHE on March 1. “With Kari and Susan at the helm of their respective offices and programs in DHCF, I am confident the health of Kansans will improve through effective purchasing and administration of health care in this state. They own a great sum of experience and commitment to high quality health care services for Kansans,” said Moser. In leading Kansas’ Medicaid Reform efforts, Lieutenant Governor Jeff Colyer, M.D., said the selection of Bruffett and Mosier to these positions in the Division of Health Care Finance are paramount to Kansas employing a coordinated system of care through KanCare. “I congratulate Kari on this new, exciting role with DHCF and Susan on joining the Administration during this important time as we work with stakeholders to sustain and improve our health care program. I am thankful for their service to this Great State,” said Colyer. Bruffett served for the past 12 months as KDHE’s Assistant Secretary for Policy and External Affairs and leaves that position to head the DHCF—for which she has served as Interim Director since Nov. 23 after then-director Andy Allison stepped down to head Arkansas’ Medicaid program. An alumna of Fort Hays State University, Bruffett has a background in health policy and government affairs, including eight years working at the University of Kansas Hospital and four years on Capitol Hill. “Kari is an experienced leader in the health care industry and has dedicated much of her time to Kansas’ Medicaid reforms this year as we’ve worked with key leaders and stakeholders in developing KanCare,” said Moser. “KDHE is fortunate to have her leading the DHCF.” Mosier is a Manhattan ophthalmologist who is currently serving as State Representative for Kansas’ District 67. She fills the vacancy left by Barbara Langner on Dec. 31. Mosier brings to KDHE her extensive experience in the medical community and her proven track record working with information systems and accounting. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Pre-Medicine from Kansas State University, a Master of Business Administration degree from University of Texas at Austin and a Doctorate of Medicine from University of Kansas School of Medicine. Before practicing medicine, Mosier managed business and accounting systems for American Airlines and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. “Susan’s capacity for leading sizable, critical financial systems, paired with her medical background, will greatly benefit the State of Kansas. I look forward to working with her as she leads the Medicaid program and seeing what she will contribute to KDHE’s accomplishments,” said Moser. “I believe she is a great fit for Kansas Medicaid and will serve the consumers well as we further develop and implement KanCare.” With Bruffett taking on a different leadership role at KDHE, Mark Dugan will take on the role of Assistant Secretary for Policy and External Affairs. Dugan is the Chief of Staff for Lieutenant Governor Colyer and will continue to serve in that capacity concurrently as Assistant Secretary at KDHE. Dugan has a Master of Public Administration degree from Wichita State University and has worked alongside policy makers at the state and federal level for five years.