The Healthcare & Bioscience Committee of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce (GMCC) presented the 2005 Health Care Heroes Awards today at the Radisson Downtown Miami. These awards honored individuals, institutions and programs whose actions have made an impact in the South Florida health care community.
The following are the 2005 Health Care Heroes® Award winners by category:
Health Care Professional
Janvier Gasana, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor and Chair, Florida Childrens Environmental Health Alliance (FCEHA), Florida International University College of Health and Urban Affairs, Stempel School of Public Health
Bio-Medical
Neil Flanzraich, Vice Chairman and President, IVAX Corporation
Individual of Merit
Paul G. Hale, Founder, Childrens Brain Trust, Miami Childrens Hospital Foundation
Institution/Program
Baptist Health Expands Charity Care Program, Baptist Health South Florida
Gerard A. Kaiser, M.D., received the AXA Advisors Lifetime Achievement Award. He serves as Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer for Jackson Health System and is a Senior Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs at the University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine. As a board-certified cardiothoracic surgeon with special expertise in pediatric cardiac surgery, Dr. Gerard Kaiser has saved thousands of young lives over the past three decades. As the chief of cardiothoracic surgery, Dr. Kaiser built a nationally recognized program that filled a vital medical need in the South Florida community, while training dozens of residents, including more than 30 chiefs of cardiac surgery in Florida and beyond. Yet in a career dedicated to excellence in every aspect of academic medicine, Dr. Kaisers most significant accomplishment for Miami-Dades residents has been shaping the unique partnership between the University of Miami School of Medicine and Jackson Memorial Hospital.
This year, two deserving individuals were recognized with the Youth Volunteer Award: Patrick Jean Baptiste, BEAM Academy at North Miami Beach High School; and Harley Gould, Childrens Cancer Caring Center, Inc. at Cleveland Clinic Florida
The events keynote speaker was John R. Combes, M.D., President and Chief Operating Officer of the Center for Healthcare Governance.
The Health Care Heroes® Awards Founding Sponsor is AXA Advisors. Additional sponsors were AvMed Health Plan, Baptist Health South Florida, Broad and Cassel, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida, Cordis Corporation, Florida International University, Mercy Hospital, Miami Childrens Hospital, Pharmed Group, and South Florida Hospital News.
Health Care Professional
Janvier Gasana, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor and Chair, Florida Childrens Environmental Health Alliance (FCEHA), Florida International University College of Health and Urban Affairs, Stempel School of Public Health 
Bio-Medical
Neil Flanzraich, Vice Chairman and President, IVAX Corporation 
Individual of Merit
Paul G. Hale, Founder, Childrens Brain Trust, Miami Childrens Hospital Foundation 
Nurse
Connie Barden, RN, MSN, CCRN, CCNS, Clinical Specialist/Coordinator of Cardiovascular Services, Mercy Hospital 
Gerard A. Kaiser, M.D., received the AXA Advisors Lifetime Achievement Award. He serves as Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer for Jackson Health System and is a Senior Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs at the University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine. As a board-certified cardiothoracic surgeon with special expertise in pediatric cardiac surgery, Dr. Gerard Kaiser has saved thousands of young lives over the past three decades. As the chief of cardiothoracic surgery, Dr. Kaiser built a nationally recognized program that filled a vital medical need in the South Florida community, while training dozens of residents, including more than 30 chiefs of cardiac surgery in Florida and beyond. Yet in a career dedicated to excellence in every aspect of academic medicine, Dr. Kaisers most significant accomplishment for Miami-Dades residents has been shaping the unique partnership between the University of Miami School of Medicine and Jackson Memorial Hospital.
This year, two deserving individuals were recognized with the Youth Volunteer Award: Patrick Jean Baptiste, BEAM Academy at North Miami Beach High School; and Harley Gould, Childrens Cancer Caring Center, Inc. at Cleveland Clinic Florida
The events keynote speaker was John R. Combes, M.D., President and Chief Operating Officer of the Center for Healthcare Governance.
The Health Care Heroes® Awards Founding Sponsor is AXA Advisors. Additional sponsors were AvMed Health Plan, Baptist Health South Florida, Broad and Cassel, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida, Cordis Corporation, Florida International University, Mercy Hospital, Miami Childrens Hospital, Pharmed Group, and South Florida Hospital News. 
