June 15 2020 – The Palm Beach County Medical Society (PBCMS) Services announced the recipients of the 17th Annual Heroes in Medicine awards. Honorees will be recognized at the Society’s annual gala on December 5, 2020 at the Airport Hilton West Palm Beach. Net proceeds from this event will support PBCMS Services programs, including COVID Response, Project Access, Disaster Services, Opioid Task Force and Care Coordination.
Heroes in Medicine awards spotlight those Individuals and organizations in Palm Beach County that provide outstanding service to meet needs of people in local, national and/or global communities. Nominees complete a rigorous review process, including in-person interviews selected by community leaders and volunteers. Heroes in Medicine is made possible by the generous support of Rendina Healthcare Real Estate.
2020 Heroes in Medicine are:
2020 Physician Hero award, goes to Nuclear Medicine Specialist Norman Pevsner, MD. He was nominated because of his litany of scientific, patient care and philanthropic contributions. For example, he developed the first Cardiac Stress SPECT scanning test in South Florida and serves as an instructor and lecturer as part of his belief that “being good doctors is the key to better health care and self fulfilment.”
Among his many industry association and community roles include being elected as a Fellow to the American College of Radiology, donating computer libraries to medical students at Nova Southeastern University, and serving as a long-time board member of Physicians Resource Network. Dr. Pevsner has been driven to make a difference in health care for the citizens of Florida and the nation.
Bruce Rendina Professional Hero: Patrick McNamara, CEO, Palm Beach Health Foundation, receives this award as a professional, who is not a direct provider of patient care, but uses his abilities to improve the health of the community. He has built vital partnerships, strengthened relationships with system partners and created innovative approaches of solving complex health problems. Recently, he worked with the Southeast Florida Behavioral Health Network to help unify the county-wide system of care for the addicted.
Community Organization Hero: FoundCare, Inc. Originally an AIDS support program, this organization today operates as a comprehensive community health center to help meet the unmet health care needs of Palm Beach County residents, giving every patient the same high-quality standard of care regardless of insurance coverage. “We will always do our best to provide the resources they need to take charge of their health; because everyone deserves the right to be healthy,” states FoundCare.
Health Care Educator Hero: Miguel Lopez-Viego, Jr., MD, Baptist Health Physician Group. A Cuban immigrant, this hero arrived in Miami at age 2 and has since built a reputation as one of South Florida’s top general and vascular surgeons. Starting as the chief editor of a trauma handbook during his residency in Dallas, he has remained committed to the education of medical students and residents. The patience and enthusiasm with which he has led medical students has inspired countless students to pursue careers in general and vascular surgery.,
Health Care Innovation Hero: Kathy Schilling, MD, Lynn Women’s Health & Wellness Institute. As Medical Director and Radiologist, Dr. Schilling has innovated a new care pathway for the over 65,000 women who seek breast-imaging services at any one of our breast centers. Through this new approach, we will be able to identify those women who are higher risk for developing the top diseases that kill women. She sees the possibility, forges ahead with passion and conviction, and takes the necessary steps out of the ordinary and into the extraordinary.
Health Care Provider Hero: Brittany Reidy, RN, Medical Team Director, Bahamas Relief Cruise. Within a few days after Hurricane Dorian, this critical care and trauma intensive care nurse set up and ran an impromptu triage care area to care for evacuees. The experience inspired her to take 14 additional humanitarian trips to Grand Bahama and Abaco. She also organized a prosthetic clinic for Bahamian storm survivors who either lost their prosthetics or had never had artificial limbs.
Humanitarian Award: Nancy Brinker, The Promise Fund. Nancy Brinker spent four decades growing the Susan G. Komen Foundation and changing forever the awareness of breast cancer in memory of her sister, who died at age 36 from the disease. More recently, she helped to start The Promise Fund whose mission is to reduce and prevent the progression of breast and cervical cancer, especially among the underserved, in Palm Beach County.
Lifetime Achievement Award: Gordon Johnson, MD, Anatomic & Clinical Pathology. Now retired, this dedicated pathologist has redefined what it means to give back. He mentors young people in an effort to bring more diversity into the medical field. He tutors high school students, sponsors food pantry activities and helps underserved children participate in sports. Dr. Johnson is committed to making a difference where possible. He is a strong advocate for youth and medically underserved individuals.
Leadership Award: Tulisa LaRocca, MD, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine/JFK Medical Center. The best test of effectiveness in a teacher or educator is to actually see the light in the student or resident. When you are in the room with Dr. LaRocca, the whole room glows. Her passion is contagious, inspiring and sincere.
Heroes in Medicine Finalists are:
STUART BAGATELL, MD
University of Miami/JFK Internal Medicine Residency Program
JOY FULLER, ARNP Shenandoah Medical Care Center
NIGEL JAGOO, MEDICAL STUDENT
Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine — Auburn
DEBORAH LIEBERMAN, RN Bethesda Health — Baptist Health South Florida
GEORGE LUCK, MD
Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine – FAU
CHRISTINE LYNN
Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing – FAU
EUGENIA MILLENDER, PHD College of Nursing – FSU
JEAN MONICE, MD Foundcare, Inc.
TIM STAPLETON, CEO Florida Medical Association
KELLY WILSON FirstLantic Healthcare
Heroes in Medicine was originally planned as part of the annual Future of Medicine Summit, which has been transformed into a series of six virtual events. The series will be offered on Fridays, beginning on October 2 and running through November 6.
For more information Contact Katherine Zuber at KatherineZ@pbcms.org or 561-433-3940.
