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2012 Healthcare Heroes Awards

The Healthcare Heroes Awards has been created to recognize the extraordinary contributions healthcare makes to the quality of life in Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan. Since it is the people in healthcare that make the difference, Healthcare Heroes recognizes five individual Healthcare Heroes each year, including a Life Time Achievement Award. The Healthcare Heroes will exemplify the contributions Healthcare makes to the region.

This year, 53 candidates were recognized at the Awards Reception on June 29, 2011. As in the past, the reception was held at the Toledo Museum of Art Glass Pavilion. Attendance was at an all-time high, almost 300 people. Numerous photos were taken. Kristian Brown, of 13 ABC, served as emcee, and award recipients were recognized in the July issue of the Toledo Business Journal.

Healthcare Heroes is sponsored by the following organizations:

Gilmore, Jasion & Mahler, LTD; Gordon Food Service; Hospital Council of Northwest Ohio; Hylant Group; Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick.

Media Partners: Toledo Business Journal and 13 ABC

Who is a Healthcare Hero?

A hero is usually an ordinary person doing extraordinary things, distinguished for his or her courage or ability. They may also be someone who is a model for others that has performed a heroic deed and/or tirelessly given of his/her time, talent and expertise to improve health.

A Healthcare Hero could be a physician, nurse, allied health professional, researcher, administrator, educator or caregiver that has gone above and beyond the call of duty. Healthcare Heroes should demonstrate honesty, integrity, humility, courage and commitment.

For example, a Healthcare Hero may be a healthcare professional who exemplifies one of the following:

Patient Care: extraordinary quality and compassionate patient care.

Innovation: A person who is breaking new ground in the healthcare arena through a new advancement, improvement of efficiencies or through a new initiative.

Research: A researcher who is on the cutting edge of clinical research to ultimately improve patient care.

Education: An accomplished healthcare educator that is inspiring the next generation of healthcare providers.

Management: A health care leader who exceeds all expectations when it comes to influencing growth and development of healthcare to meet the needs of the community.

Community Service: A healthcare provider making a meaningful contribution to community health improvement, including but not limited to increasing access to healthcare for the low income uninsured.

Lifetime Achievement

In addition to recognizing 4 Heroes from different aspects of Healthcare, a Healthcare Hero Lifetime Achievement will also be presented. To qualify for the Lifetime Achievement Award, a health care leader must have left a mark on healthcare through a career (of at least 25 years) of heroic acts, compassion, honor and integrity that have helped to put our region at the forfront of healthcare.

Past Healthcare Heroes

2011

• Imran Andrabi, M.D.,ABFM, FAAFP, CMCM, President & CEO of Mercy St. Vincent Medical Center
• Frank Barone, M.D., FACS - M.D. Plastic Surgery, Operation Smile
• Irene Brookes, R.N., M.Ed., CDE - Diabetes Educator, Pharmacy Counter
• Lawrence W. Elmer, M.D., Ph.D. - Associate Professor and Director, Center for Neurological Disorders, Department of Neurology, University of Toledo College of Medicine
• Ann Locher, MSN, R.N., ACRN (Lifetime Achievement Award - posthumous) - Vice President, Health Education Initiatives

2010

• Lifetime Achievement Award: Arthur Mancini, MD, Urology, Chairman of the CareNet Board and volunteer physician
• Samantha Christie, Senior Clinical Coordinator of the Cardiac Rehabilitation/Heart Failure programs at Mercy St. Charles Hospital
• William L. Horvath, MD, Hematology/Oncology & president of HOA Cancer Center
• Ann Marie Kujawa, Administrative Director of the ProMedica Cancer Institute
• Sister Dorothy Thum, RSM, Regional Vice President of Mission and Values Integration for Mercy

2009

• Lifetime Achievement Award: David K. Scheer, MD, Internal Medicine, West Central Medical Group
• Joyce Granberry, Women’s Health Care Nurse Practitioner
• Kenneth A. Kropp, MD, Professor Emeritus, Urology, University of Toledo College of Medicine
• Elizabeth S. Ruppert, MD, Professor Emeritus, Pediatrics, University of Toledo College of Medicine
• Richard D. Ruppert, MD, President Emeritus, University of Toledo College of Medicine