Health Care Heroes Abound at UHealth

5/15/2009

Pascal J. Goldschmidt, M.D., senior vice president for medical affairs and dean of the Miller School, Eneida Roldan, M.D., M.P.H., M.B.A., chief executive officer of Jackson Health System, and Barth A. Green, M.D., professor and chairman of neurological surgery, and recipient of the AXA Advisors Lifetime Achievement Award.

Faculty and programs from UHealth-University of Miami Health System/Miller School of Medicine were showered with accolades at the 12th Annual Health Care Heroes Awards presented by the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce during a luncheon Thursday, May 14, at Jungle Island in Miami.

Barth A. Green, M.D., professor and chairman of neurological surgery at the Miller School, received the most prestigious honor, the AXA Advisors Lifetime Achievement Award. A brief video was presented, detailing how the co-founder of The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis was so moved by the courage of the paralyzed veterans he worked with as a medical student that he became dedicated to finding a cure for spinal cord injury. It’s a dedication that has translated to other projects as well.

In the video, Pascal J. Goldschmidt, M.D., senior vice president for medical affairs and dean of the Miller School, told how Green also helped create Shake-a-Leg Miami, which helps people with physical and developmental challenges take part in water sports. He also co-founded Project Medishare, which is committed to providing health care in the impoverished central plateau of Haiti. “A hero is a person who you see every day who is willing to stand up to the challenge,” Goldschmidt said. “Barth Green is a true hero.”

Green accepted the award to a standing ovation, thanked everyone and then spoke about how lucky he considers himself. Green said there was “no greater gift than to be able to help other people.” He celebrated the diversity and energy of the South Florida community, the unlimited possibilities in the future of spinal research, and the privilege of working at a medical center that has one standard of care for patients regardless of their economic standing. Reflecting on the Lifetime Achievement Award, Green said, “I hope this lifetime is not over because I still have a lot more to do.”

Carlos Fernandez-Guzman, chairman of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce, told the room full of about 200 people that the Health Care Heroes Awards are “meant to honor those individuals and institutions that have made an impact in South Florida.” Each of the three finalists in the categories was profiled with a brief video.

The Health Care Professionals award was presented to Judy Schaechter, M.D., associate professor of pediatrics and associate chair of pediatrics for community outreach. Schaechter was recognized for her work in injury and violence prevention programs aimed at children. She has also established programs focused on child safety in the home, and reducing firearm injuries. As chair of The Children’s Trust Health Committee, Schaechter has set up health clinics in public schools in Miami-Dade and has created home visiting programs for new and teen moms.

Schaechter thanked her colleagues at the Miller School and other agencies and said it was a “thrill to be a finalist in the same class” with the other two nominees. One of them was W. Jarrard Goodwin, M.D., director of the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dean Goldschmidt described him as a “combination of compassion, intellect and energy who gives endless hope to every patient.”

Carrie Feinroth, R.N., M.S.N., nurse manager of the pediatric intensive care unit at Holtz Children’s Hospital, presented a heartfelt address after winning in the Nurses category. Feinroth, who helps train new nurses and worked toward the recent expansion of the unit, said the patients are the “real heroes who fight with courage and dignity and a smile that will never leave you.” Feinroth said she accepted the award “on behalf of those who fought their disease and won, and in memory of those who have not.”

The Institutions/Programs award was given to the Ryder Trauma Center at UM/Jackson Memorial Medical Center. Ryder is the only certified Level 1 trauma center in South Florida for adults and children, treating more than 4,000 trauma patients each year. Jeffrey S. Augenstein, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Ryder Trauma Surgical Intensive Care Unit, was featured in the presentation video. He noted that Ryder is committed to injury prevention research, and education in training Army surgical teams. Mark McKenney, M.D., professor and chief of the Division of Trauma and co-director of the Ryder Trauma Center, accepted the award.

Bart Chernow, M.D., vice president for special programs and resource strategy and vice provost of technology advancement at the Miller School, was a finalist in the Bio-Medical category for his work building the planned Life Science Park, and bringing biotechnology investments to our community. William P. Murphy, Jr., M.D., founder and former chairman of the Cordis Corporation, was named winner of the category.

Another Miller School finalist was Kenneth W. Goodman, Ph.D., professor of medicine and philosophy, director of the Bioethics Program and co-director of the Ethics Programs at the University of Miami. He was a finalist in the Individuals of Merit category for his work ensuring the rights of all patients and their families. That award went to Lawrence S. Forman, M.Ed., J.D., founder and director of the Comprehensive Rehabilitation Consultants and Children’s Rehab Network.