Health Care Heroes

With all the turmoil going on in our economy, it’s a welcome relief to get some good news once in a while, isn’t it?

The BizTimes Health Care Heroes Awards program is just the tonic. Now in its fifth year, this program has become an annual uplifting of the spirits, just in time for the holidays.

This year, we salute 16 Health Care Heroes. You’ll meet physicians who are creating national models of care. You’ll meet nurses who go well beyond the call. You’ll meet people who are developing new ways to test newborns for disease. You’ll meet people who are helping the blind learn to live independently. You’ll meet nurse’s aides and volunteers who provide comfort. You’ll meet people who provide support for patients newly diagnosed with Celiac disease and who tend to patients with Alzheimer’s disease.

You’ll even meet a woman who donated a kidney to a girl she had never met before! Now, THAT is a Health Care Hero!

This year’s class also includes Jon Vice, who is retiring after 29 years of service to Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin. Jon will receive a special Lifetime Achievement Award.

The winners were selected by an independent panel of judges, including: Karen Ordinans, executive director of the Children’s Health Alliance of Wisconsin; Dr. Sarah Pratt, a pediatrician who is the past president of the Medical Society of Milwaukee County Board of Directors and a past member of the Wisconsin Medical Society Board of Directors; Connie Roethel, R.N., wellness expert and president of Core Health Group in Mequon; and Phyllis King, Ph.D., associate dean, professor and associate director of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Center for Ergonomics.

I personally want to thank the judges who took time out of their busy schedules to diligently wade through the nominations and select the recipients of the awards.

Finally, I want to thank our sponsor, Humana, without whom we could not present this worthy and inspirational program.

We salute all of our Health Care Heroes. It’s an honor that acknowledges your achievements and your selfless acts of compassion. We present their stories in this special section as a Christmas gift to our readers.

Dan Meyer

Publisher, BizTimes Milwaukee

Humana congratulates the 2008 Health Care Heroes.  It’s an impressive accomplishment to be nominated for such an award in an industry as challenging as health care.

One challenge confronting numerous people and businesses across the country is the search for affordable health insurance.  In southeastern Wisconsin, hundreds of businesses are taking advantage of the partnership between Humana and the Business Health Care Group, an organization dedicated to improving our health care system simply because it’s the right thing to do.

Together, Humana and the Business Health Care Group are working to collaborate with employers, health care providers and consumers to obtain true health care value – the best quality at the best price.  Humana and the Business Health Care Group are promoting prevention and wellness initiatives that encourage healthier lifestyles and workplace environments.  We are also working to reduce the cost of care to a level at or below the Midwest average, and working with our partners to provide reliable cost information and quality of care for consumer use.  Together, we are improving the health care system in Southeastern Wisconsin.

Humana’s office in Waukesha is ready to provide guidance to help your business navigate the complexities of the health care system.  Ultimately, fixing our health care system requires involvement from everyone.  Ask us how your company can get involved by contacting Humana at 1-800-825-9900 or www.humana.com, or visit www.businesshealthcaregroup.org.

Again, on behalf of Humana I’d like to congratulate the 2008 Health Care Heroes and their organizations for their contributions and accomplishments in improving health care throughout southeastern Wisconsin.

Kristine Seymour

President, Humana-Wisconsin