Nelson to keynote Health Care Heroes

The event will be held at the Wyndham Milwaukee Center Hotel. Nelson will speak about the dedicated service of health care professionals and will discuss the future of health care in Wisconsin.
The DHFS administers the state’s Food Stamp, Medicaid, SeniorCare and BadgerCare programs, as well as other programs to help residents purchase health care
State Rep. Curt Gielow (R-Mequon) also will speak at the Health Care Heroes Awards Breakfast. Gielow, a former hospital administrator, is the vice chairman of the Assembly Committee on Health and is a member of the Committee on Insurance. Gielow will discuss the reforms that are needed in the health care industry.
The Small Business Times Health Care Heroes Awards recognize excellence, promote innovation, encourage emulation of successful programs, educate the general public and contribute to the enhancement of the value and quality of health care in the region.
The categories for the awards are: "Corporate Achievement in Health Care;" "Advancements in Health Care;" "Community Service;" "Physician;" "Non-physician;" and "Volunteer."
A special Health Care Hero Award also will be announced at the breakfast. The finalists for this year’s awards were chosen from a field of 54 nominations by an independent panel of health care professionals.
The categories and the finalists (listed alphabetically) are:
Corporate Achievement in Health Care
* Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital, Milwaukee.
* Independent Care Health Plan, Milwaukee.
* Joyce Kazmierczak, corporate director of human resources of LindenGrove, New Berlin.
Advancements in Health Care
* Dr. Husam H. Balkhy, M.D., cardiovascular surgeon, St. Joseph Regional Medical Center/Covenant Healthcare System Inc., Milwaukee.
* Dr. Tobias Enright, M.D., allergy/immunology, Advanced Healthcare S.C., Milwaukee.
* Jann Pfaff, clinical nurse specialist, Waukesha Memorial Hospital/ProHealth Care, Waukesha.
Community Service
* Dr. Stuart Berger, M.D., Project ADAM/Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.
* Covenant Healthcare System Inc.’s Men’s Barbershop Health Initiative, Milwaukee.
* Greater Milwaukee Free Clinic, West Allis.
Physician
* Dr. Beth Erickson-Wittmann, M.D., professor of radiation oncology, Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital and the Medical College of Wisconsin Cancer Center, Milwaukee, and Community Memorial Hospital, Menomonee Falls.
* Dr. David Hoogerland, M.D., Columbia St. Mary’s Hospital, Milwaukee.
* Dr. James Ninomiya, M.D., associate professor of orthopeadics, Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital and the Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.
Non-physician
* Betty Kurth, R.N., collaborative care nurse, Waukesha Memorial Hospital/ProHealth Care, Waukesha.
* JoAnn Lomax, R.N., patient relations supervisor, Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital, Milwaukee.
* Mary Jo O’Malley, R.N., director of ProHealth Home Care and Hospice in Hartland and director of the AngelsGrace Hospice in Oconomowoc.
Volunteer
* Barney Apthorp, HELP/Buddy volunteer, St. Michael Hospital/Covenant Healthcare System Inc., Milwaukee.
* Christin Root, HIV/AIDS prevention volunteer, AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.
* Mark Schaefer, president of the Froedtert Volunteer Services Associates, Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital, Milwaukee.
The winners for each of the awards categories will not be announced until the Dec. 2 breakfast, which is sponsored by Plunkett Raysich Architects LLP. To reserve space or obtain further information about the Small Business Times Health Care Heroes Breakfast, contact Sarah Wilson at (414) 277-8181, ext. 129.
October 29, 2004, Small Business Times, Milwaukee, WI