Press Release – to Health and Local Desks

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Contact:          Ginnie Flynn , Illinois Academy of Family Physicians
                        630/435-0356, ext. 118 or gflynn@iafp.com
                       Cell:  630-263-4613

October 4, 2007                                                                                   

DR. JAMES P. VALEK IS 2007 IAFP FAMILY PHYSICIAN OF THE YEAR AS FAMILY MEDICINE CELEBRATES 60 YEARS 

 Illinois finest members and friends honored at the annual meeting of the Illinois Academy of Family Physicians

CHICAGO - The Illinois Academy of Family Physicians celebrated its 60^th year of caring for Illinois and honored some of its finest family physicians tonight.   Family physicians from around the state gathered at the Art Institute of Chicago during the American Academy of Family Physicians’ Annual Scientific Assembly, the largest annual meeting of family physicians in the country held this week in Chicago .      

This year’s family medicine honors included:  (click here to view photos of all winners)

Family Physician of the Year – James P. Valek, MD of Evergreen Park

Family Medicine Full-time Teacher of the Year – Greg Kirschner, MD, MPH of Park Ridge

Family Medicine Part-time Teacher of the Year – Adam Bennett, MD of Northwestern University School of Medicine in Chicago

Media Award –  Stephanie Sievers of Small Newspaper Group, Springfield Bureau

President’s Award (2) – Robert Boll, DO of Orland Park and the sponsoring legislators of the Smoke-Free Illinois bill:  Sen. Terry Link (D-30, Waukegan ), Sen. John J. Cullerton (D-6, Chicago ) and Rep. Karen A. Yarbrough (D-7, Maywood ).  

James P. Valek, MD

Dr. Valek’s interests are as varied as the specialty of family medicine.  Since opening his solo practice, Vista Family Medicine, in 2002 he practices the full scope of family medicine with special interests in sports medicine and palliative care.  His practice is a model of the modern medical practice with a fully functional patient-friendly web site. Dr. Valek is a faculty member at Advocate Christ Family Medicine Residency Program, UIC and Northwestern medical schools and serves as chairman of the board for St. Laurence High School in Burbank .  When he was Director of Community Medicine at Christ’s residency program, he launched and coordinated a residency wide Tar Wars program to teach tobacco prevention to schools in their southwest suburban community.  

“Going to see Dr. Valek is like seeing a long time family friend,” said patient Victoria Dudlo, who helped IAFP present the award.  “He is someone you feel comfortable to be around and whose advice you trust.”

“It is hard to quantify, but I think we family physicians have great value,” says Dr. Valek.  “We need to lead the system in improving outpatient care, documenting what works, reducing errors, and managing chronic care.  At the same time, we need to stay focused on our relationships with patients.”  

The Family Physician of the Year is chosen from candidates nominated directly by patients and colleagues, who send letters to IAFP describing their family physician.  The Award is presented annually to an outstanding family physician that best illustrates the values and vision of the family doctor. He or she is a role model for the community and sets the standard for health care delivery.      

Greg Kirshner, MD, MPH  

Dr. Kirschner is the associate residency director, chairs the curriculum committee and coordinates community service programs for Lutheran General Family Medicine Residency Program in Park Ridge .  He joined the faculty after completing his residency training there in 1985.  He took two leaves of absence for clinical and teaching appointments in medical missions in Nigeria .    He has been honored with the residency Teacher of the Year award five times and also Advocate Medical Group Physician Recognition Award the past two years.  Dr. Kirschner was also instrumental in organizing the residents around teaching tobacco prevention to 4^th and 5^th graders through the IAFP’s Tar Wars program.  

“I believe I have been gifted in the area of encouragement – that is, the ability to come alongside someone and ‘put courage in’,” said Dr. Kirschner.  My greatest joys come when I am able to do this for patients and particularly for residents and students.  It’s thrilling for me to see those I have trained as physicians succeeding as clinicians and physician leaders in Nigeria as well as the U.S. ”  

Lutheran General’s chief resident from the past year, Dr. Allison Rittmann served as the resident member of the IAFP board of directors this past year and was on-hand to help present the award to her mentor.  

The Family Medicine Teacher of the Year Awards recognize family physician faculty who play a pivotal role in the recruiting and developing the best in family medicine.  The recipient can teach in the medical school, residency or community preceptor setting.  IAFP honors a full time teacher as well as part-time faculty who contribute or even volunteer their time teaching in addition to their duties as a practicing family physician in the community.  

Adam Bennett, MD  

Dr. Bennett is a Northwestern product from start to finish, completing his undergraduate, medical school, family medicine residency training and fellowships in Academic Family Medicine and Primary Care Sports Medicine all through Northwestern.  His sports medicine training has served him well, as he is a Chicago Bears’ team physicians and accompanied the team to Miami for Super Bowl XLI in February.  He was also a star soccer player and Academic All America during his time as an undergraduate at Northwestern from 1991-1994.   

Northwestern medical student Michelle Wu nominated Dr. Bennett and was part of the award presentation.  “He is so much more than just a teacher.

He is someone who truly cares about his students and wants us not only to succeed, but to be happy in all that we do.  He dedicates himself to his college, and does everything whole-heartedly,” says Wu.   

President’s Award – The IAFP President’s Award is given at the discretion of the president to honor an individual or organization that has been instrumental in furthering the missions of the Illinois Academy of Family Physicians. 

Robert Boll, DO  

Dr. Boll has devoted all 20 years of his family medicine career to Illinois and 17 of them in his own private practice.  Dr. Boll made headlines last fall when he came to the aid of a choking victim at his church’s annual fundraising dinner.  When first attempts to dislodge the food failed, he improvised on the scene and performed a successful emergency tracheotomy (a procedure he’d never done himself) with a kitchen knife which saved her life.  Dr. Boll and his wife, Dana, have been foster parents for over ten years and he has provided medical services to children in need through Catholic Charities. He also makes an annual volunteer mission trio to Black Feet Community Hospital in Montana .   

We know that family physicians are heroes to their patients everyday.  Dr. Boll’s amazing actions at that church dinner really spotlights the dedication physicians out there and the confidence they have in their training to do what’s needed,” said Kathleen J. Miller, MD.  Dr. Miller was IAFP president and chose to honor Dr. Boll this year with the President’s Award.  “When I learned about this event and all the wonderful things Dr. Boll has done for his community, I wanted the rest of the Academy to know about him, too.”  

The Honorable Terry Link, John J. Cullerton and Karen A. Yarbrough  

When Dr. Miller became president in 2006, one of her hopes was to preside over IAFP when Illinois became the next smoke-free state.  She got her wish on July 23, 2007 when the Smoke-free Illinois Act was signed into law.  Under the dome in Springfield , SB 500 was created by health advocates along with senate sponsors John Cullerton and Terry Link.  Their unwavering commitment and tactful stewardship of the bill got it through the Senate against the odds.  In the House, Rep. Karen Yarbrough sponsored the bill and carried it with the same vigor and passion that she used to remove the pre-emption clause in the old clean indoor air act during the 2006 session.   Her leadership in the House brought SB 500 through the House and onto the governor’s desk.   

Senators Link and Cullerton accepted the awards in person at the 60^th anniversary celebration.  Rep. Yarbrough will receive her award via special delivery from constituent family physician Dr. Scott Levin, program director of West Suburban family medicine residency in River Forest .  

Stephanie Sievers – Small Newspaper Group

In March of this year, Small Newspaper Group embarked on a big story:  examining the state’s Medicaid program from many angles.  Stephanie Sievers talked to patients and providers throughout her papers’ central and western Illinois area to find the stories beyond the press releases.  What is working and what isn’t?   

The finished product was a three-part series covering the various state funded health insurance products, the people who rely on them and those who provide the care.  She featured several IAFP family physicians to illustrate the challenges facing both providers and their patients in meeting the health care needs of Illinois patients.  

“Patients and providers throughout the state are really struggling in our fragmented health care system, where so many don’t have access to care,” says Kristin Drynan, MD, chair of the IAFP Public Relations Task Force.  “We chose Stephanie’s articles for our media award because we felt she took such a complex issue and made it more human, so that anyone and everyone could understand the scope and challenges we are facing.”  

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