Why I choose to be a Force for Health and why we want others to do the same

I am a physician that is responsible for trying to advance the health of everyone in the community. In addition to trading people with lung diseases, a major part of my job is to help prevent chronic diseases.

I moved to Huntingdon to help this innovative hospital strive to stay in this community. One way to make it sustainable is to reduce the overall health care costs of the region. I don’t want to cut services or quality like some hospitals have done. The most effective way to do this is to reduce illness and injury. What if we could delay or reduce preventable or chronic diseases? We can with healthy decisions and healthy options being pervasive in the community. We can create a community of wellness, activity and support for each other.

I need to start with ME. On an ongoing basis, every day, I need to strive to get in my exercise and eat better. I need to take time for myself and my family. I have set a goal of walking 10,000 steps a day starting today.

Join the Force for Health Program as a member. and start making healthy decisions for yourself, and then find ways to engage and support others doing the same.

Robert Gillio-Director of Clinical Innovation, JC Blair Memorial Hospital

Why I choose to be a Force for Health Ambassador

My degree has provided me with a strong foundation in both the life and physical sciences, therapeutics, and patient education and my experiences as a community pharmacist the past six years have also been very valuable. During my time as a pharmacist, however, I have realized my desire to focus more on the general health and wellness of communities and improving outcomes.

I hope to use my health care background through a more creative outlet by creating interactive and engaging educational courses. These courses will provide individuals in the community with the important facts about medications, disease management, and lifestyle changes and will hopefully result in improved adherence, compliance, and health outcomes.

I feel ensuring all citizens have internet access to educational courses and resources will improve healthy citizenship. As one member of the Healthy Huntingdon Project expressed, the knowledge citizens will gain through our courses and website will allow them to be a “force for health for themselves” in their everyday lives and perhaps reduce hospital visits and health care costs.

Megan Hemphill-I am a licensed pharmacist.

Why I chose to be a Force for Health Intern

It’s so frustrating to me to see so many people that I care about and other members of this community face preventable chronic diseases. I want to help people avoid the costs–financial, social, physical, and otherwise—that result from chronic illness.

I helped develop the Force for Health and My Healthy Huntingdon websites so people can more easily access information that will help them make healthy decisions.

Emma Hannan-Juniata College ’18, Penn State MHA ’20