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"These fellows have demonstrated the importance of bringing the nursingperspective to the forefront of public health discussions," says ActingSurgeon General Steven K. Galson, MD, MPH, a rear admiral in the U.S. PublicHealth Service.
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As the first-ever nurse practitioner fellows in the OSG, Bigley and Wisnerhave provided leadership in critical areas of public health. "Our holisticview of health care -- acknowledging the importance of prevention and socialissues in addition to clinical interventions -- make us especially effectivehealth care providers," says Wisner.
Addressing Obesity
Preventing childhood obesity is a top priority for the OSG and the U.S.Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Bigley serves as a key leaderfor the Healthy Youth for a Healthy Future initiative which HHS launched inNovember 2007 to bring attention to the nearly 34 percent of children andteens in America who are either overweight or at risk of becoming overweight.Bigley also helps coordinate the Surgeon General's HHS interagency council toimprove current childhood obesity programs and campaigns, including the designand implementation of the Healthy Youth for a Healthy Future Web page andoutreach tour.
As part of this program, the Acting Surgeon General is conducting anationwide outreach tour, recognizing city officials and local organizationsthat are taking aggressive action to end childhood obesity. "Overweightchildren have a higher risk of being overweight adults, and face thepossibility of serious and chronic health problems," says Galson. "It's animportant public health issue, and prevention is vital."
Building Health Communication and Health Literacy
In addition to addressing specific public health issues like childhoodobesity, Bigley and Wisner are focusing on expanding health communication,recognizing it as a challenge and an opportunity to incorporate the nursingpoint of view.
"The overarching issues affecting public health today are prevention,quality of care and access," says Bigley. "All clinicians and health caresystems need to communicate more efficiently and effectively to achievepositive health outcomes and understand the importance and value of healthinformation technology."
In collaboration with the HHS Office of Disease Prevention and HealthPromotion, the OSG published proceedings of The Surgeon General's Workshop onImproving Health Literacy. Wisner is working to improve the delivery of careto underserved populations living with HIV/AIDS using principles from theworkshop. As a provider at Whitman Walker HIV/AIDS Clinic in northwestWashington, DC, Wisner sees firsthand the challenges of HIV/AIDS treatmentwhen low health literacy is prevalent among patients.
"Improving health literacy will make it more likely that patientsunderstand their conditions and treatment regimens, and can maintain andimprove their health status," says Wisner. Using current technology such aselectronic health records and Internet tools, Wisner hopes to improve healthliteracy among providers and patients.
Separately, Bigley developed and executed the 2006 and 2007 marketing andcommunication plans for the Surgeon General's Family Health HistoryInitiative, a prevention-focused program that encourages family members tolearn about health risks based on family history. Bigley finds that he
