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2021 Los Angeles Healthcare Awards
2021 LOS ANGELES HEALTHCARE AWARDS SPONSORED BY
Warmly welcoming guests gathered together virtually via the Patient Care Foundation website, Dr. Troy Elander opened the 9th Annual Los Angeles Healthcare Awards on April 16.
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“This is the 9th time LACMA has gathered to recognize true health heroes in our community. The truth is, every single one of us went above and beyond the call of duty this past year. We know COVID has been a war, the battle is still raging and in our own ways we’ve all been on the front lines. Our job has never been harder – or more heartbreaking.
“But tonight, LACMA will pin a purple heart on those who have done so much in this most impossible of years.
“LACMA is all about advocacy, being that vital voice for Healthcare in areas of public policy, government, and community relations. Nevermore has truth, facts and calm been more needed – and our members aren’t just Health Heroes, they’re superheroes. And we are proud to honor them.”
LACMA president Dr. Diana Shiba then took to the virtual stage to thank sponsors and set the stage for the evening.
“While we all look forward to a time, soon, when we can celebrate together, it means so much to be able to recognize the many health heroes who stepped up in ways that we never could’ve imagined when we last got together in 2019.
“And of course, we want to begin by thanking our wonderful sponsors who make our work possible.
“We are so proud to call them partners, colleagues and friends.
Tonight is a different kind of event, reflecting a very different kind of year. Forget Spiderman and other Marvel characters – tonight’s show is filled with Superheroes who showed that when things got worse than we could possibly imagine, every single day they brought their best.”
LACMA Board Member and former president Dr. C. Freeman announced the first honoree of the evening, presenting Dr. Jerry Abraham with the Independent Physician Leadership award.
“When the Vaccine wasn’t showing up in South LA and other underserved LA communities of color, Jerry Abraham snapped into action. He runs the Kedren Community Health Center – which isn’t a facility designed or funded for vaccine distribution. His actions were decisive and his plan was [comprehensive]. By looking after his community – he’s built a model that will be used to save countless people in other communities. Already the Governor and Department of Health have checked in to see how to mirror Jerry’s magic.”
Presenting the 2021 LACMA Hospital Physician Leadership Award to Dr. Erika Flores Uribe was LACMA Patient Care Foundation Board Member, Elizabeth Kurihara.
“[Dr. Uribe] is a passionate, brilliant physician whose every action is about serving the underserved of LA’s LatinX community. For more than a year, she’s spent every single day working in the COVID trenches at LA County USC. About 80% of the ER patients speak Spanish and her calm, her caring, and her masterful ability to care for her patients has consumed her life 24/7. While her stellar example has garnered both local and national press, she has no interest in publicity. She is too busy giving her all to her many patients, and setting a stellar example of leadership.”
Midway through the awards, Dr. Elander shared a video of Patient Care Foundation Scholarship Recipients, Ruth Miranda, MS4, CDU/UCLA, Aileen Arevalo, MS3, CDU/UCLA, and Danielle Gibson, MS4, Michigan State University, who brilliantly answered the questions: “What
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The next award of the evening, the Innovation Award for Community Service, was presented to Dr. Muntu Davis by Dr. Jeffery Lee, 2021-2022 President of LACMA.
“Dr. Muntu Davis’ work with the Department of Public Health has been courageous, pivotal, and – here’s that word again – lifesaving. While we all know how hard 2020 was on Physicians and Health Care Professionals, it was anything but easy on Public Health Officials. While giving 1,000% of themselves and working beyond physical and mental endurance, they’ve also had to face intense backlash from so many areas: notably anti-maskers, COVIDdeniers, and those who believe underserved communities don’t deserve health equity. Dr. Davis has been an absolute advocate for those people who have no voice.”
To watch the 2021 Los Angeles Healthcare Awards visit patientcarefoundation.org/laha2021
LACMA CEO, Gustavo Friederichsen then took to the stage to announce this year’s Shine the Light Media Award recipient, Miguel Almaguer, stating, “this year’s choice was instantaneous. No contest.”
“Miguel Almaguer is a reporter with a strong national presence on NBC. He’s one of the most respected and notable LatinX journalists of our time. And every single day, he uses his platform to educate and be an advocate for his demographic, one hit so hard in so many areas...[H]is work from the epicenter of the COVID epicenter is saving lives in East LA, Boyle Heights, Compton, and South LA hospitals, ICUs, COVID units, Nursing homes, and even morgues. At a time when we’ve seen so much lethal misinformation, he faces his audience with facts of what he has seen and what he’s learned.”
Dr. Elander and Dr. Shiba next presented the 2021 LACMA President’s Award to Dr. Vanessa “I will begin with Dr. Vanessa Franco, an outstanding Emergency Medical specialist in the non-operative sports medicine department at UCLA. Of course, every minute of 2020 seemed to be a 4-alarm medical emergency. Dr. Franco described it as tumultuous, unpredictable, and everchanging – and that just describes the first 5 minutes of any shift. Trying to practice medicine during the pandemic was like threading a needle while on a roller coaster. But Dr. Franco not only showed calm at the center of this unrelenting storm, but she also showed great leadership and a willingness to do whatever had to be done for both her patients and her colleagues. There were managerial changes, operational and procedural changes – all while caring for non-COVID patients, without endangering their health. She describes her colleagues as unwavering, tireless, brave, supportive, selfless, and agile amidst all the changes faced. Of course, this describes her perfectly as well.”
“Thank you, Diana,” Dr. Elander said before sharing Dr. Kim’s accomplishments. “I’m happy to note that this President’s award was your idea. It’s a great way to honor two very different physicians who have proven themselves true Superheroes in the war against COVID-19.”
“Dr. Richard Kim is a noted anesthesiologist who I truly believe has not had a day off in the past 14 months. Dr. Kim helped create an innovative workstream that allowed hospitals to take care of this surge of patients while keeping everyone in the unit safe. He also made sure that during the surges – times when so much other needed medical care was postponed – that nonCOVID-related care could continue. Dr. Kim developed medical swat teams in the ICU. He led a team of 200 surgeons and nurses. He hosted a weekly ZOOM at 7 am designed to share the latest vital updates. He has shown brilliant leadership and constant grace under pressure.”
CORE - the humanitarian foundation created by Ann Lee and Sean Penn – was then revealed as the 2021 Healthcare Champion of the Year Award by Dr. Shiba.
“Known for their international service around the world, CORE’s mission began in Haiti, but this dedicated citizen army is now focused nationally at 2 dozen domestic sites offering more than 12,000 vaccinations per day. A key goal of this initiative. is ensuring equitable distribution of the vaccine to high-risk, low-income, and communities of color. Their results are extraordinary. Their commitment is absolute. They exist only to help as many people as possible, while equipping the next generation for any number of potential catastrophes from the next pandemic to emergency preparedness for national disasters that are linked to climate change.
The memorable evening honoring healthcare heroes was topped off by Dr. Elander announcing the Lifetime Healthcare Champion honoree in posthumous recognition of a man who was a national and athletic icon: the incomparable Rafer Johnson.
“Perhaps you know of him as the UCLA student who took silver in the 1956 Olympic Decathlon, only to top every known record when he took the gold in 1960. Or perhaps you know of him as a close friend and advisor to Robert Kennedy, with him on the fatal night at the Ambassador Hotel in June of 1968 – he was the man who took the gun from Sirhan Sirhan and delivered it to authorities. Or perhaps you know him as an actor, a newscaster or most importantly, one of the founders of the Special Olympics, designed to allow physically challenged children to compete to their Olympic Best. Or possibly you remember his Olympic return in Los Angeles, 1984, when he spectacularly lit the torch to start the games. Or as a father in the stands, a regular dad, cheering on his athletic children. He was a champion athlete, humanitarian, community organizer, leader, social activist and American hero. He did all of this with humility, empathy and compassion.”
Congratulations to all of the 2021 Los Angeles Healthcare Award Winners and thank you to each and every Healthcare Hero!
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