US Naval Hospital Guam offers joint training on prevention

AGANA HEIGHTS, Guam–Prevention is important to a person’s health. According to the Center for Disease Control, almost one out of every two adults has at least one chronic disease, many of which are preventable. Focusing on prevention can create healthier families and communities. Because of this, the Department of Public Health offers a variety of free services in order to help people prevent illness, disease and other unwanted issues. This includes the provision of birth control options. In Guam, however, not all forms of birth control were available.

Cmdr. Kelly Elmore, an OB/GYN from U.S. Naval Hospital Guam, and Maj. Rebecca Kemmet, a Family Medicine Provider from Andersen Air Force Base Medical Clinic, provide instruction to medical personnel from the Guam Department of Public Health on intrauterine devices, small T-shaped contraceptives that are inserted into the uterus. This training allows the Guam DPH to offer a wide variety of birth control options that were not previously available. (Contributed Photo)

Recently, staff from the Obstetric and Gynecological Department at U.S. Naval Hospital Guam, and the Medical Clinic on Andersen Air Force Base, provided training on intrauterine devices, or IUDs, which are small T-shaped contraceptives that are inserted into the uterus.

The training was provided to medical personnel from the hospital, Andersen Air Force Base, and the Guam Department of Public Health in order to assist DPH in offering diverse, contraceptive options to patients. According to Cmdr. Katherine Austin, an OB/GYN who works at the hospital, “Long acting reversible contraception is the first line birth control recommended in the United States. All women, no matter their location in the world, should have equal access to birth control.”

The training was provided by Austin, along with Cmdr. Kelly Elmore, OB/GYN, and Maj. Rebecca Kemmet, who is a Family Medicine Provider and works at the Andersen Air Force base medical clinic.

According to Austin, the combination of OB/GYN and Family Medicine provided the trainees a well-rounded educational experience. The training was also given in conjunction with a video teleconference call with Michael Kelly, a representative from a pharmaceutical company, who provided training on a specific IUD, along with some of the training supplies.

“This training is important as it improves the skills of the educators, while providing evidence based knowledge to the participants, and builds camaraderie amongst providers on the island,” said Austin. “This particular training provided not only an academic portion, but hands-on skills that directly translate into the ability to care for patients.”

Because the training was such a success, Austin hopes there will be more in the future and she, along with her counterparts, are already looking into some options.

“We are also in the process of instituting Advanced Life Support in Obstetrics here at the hospital. Once we are up and running, we hope to be able to offer this training to island providers.”

This training was provided Dec. 23, 2014, at the U.S. Naval Hospital Guam training department. (USN)