Rudolph Altergott, MD Brian Foy, MD Provena Saint Joseph Medical Center Rudolph Altergott. M.D. and Brian Foy, M.D., and their outstanding cardiovascular surgery teams have mended the hearts of over 5,000 people in the community in the 14 years since the first open-heart surgery was performed at Provena Saint Joseph Medical Center. This impressive accomplishment gives the Medical Center state recognition as a leading provider of open-heart surgery. The service of both these outstanding physicians has inspired others and their commitment illustrates their devotion to the people of Will County and the Provena Saint Joseph Medical Center family. Rudolph Altergott (left) Brian Foy (right) Dr. Altergott is a graduate of the Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine. He completed an internship and residency in general surgery, and a fellowship in cardiothoracic surgery at Loyola University Medical Center. In 1985, he was the recipient of the prestigious Kaiser Award, an honor bestowed upon an outstanding senior surgical resident. Dr. Altergott is board-certified by the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Thoracic Surgery. He is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and a member of the American Medical Association, the Chicago Medical Society, the Chicago Surgical Society, the Illinois State Medical Society, and the Will-Grundy County Medical Society. Dr. Altergott has been on staff at Provena Saint Joseph Medical Center for 14 years. Dr. Foy is a graduate of the Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine. He completed his internship and residency in general surgery, and a fellowship in cardiovascular and thoracic surgery from Loyola University Medical Center. He was the distinguished recipient of the 1983 Kaiser Award for excellence in surgical education as a chief resident. Dr. Foy is board-certified by both the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Thoracic Surgery. He is also a fellow in the American College of Surgeons and the American College of Angiology, as well as a member of the International Society for Heart Transplantation, the American Medical Association, the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, the Illinois State Medical Society, the Chicago Medical Society, the Chicago Surgical Society and the Will-Grundy Medical Society. Dr. Foy serves as Director of Cardiovascular Surgery at Provena Saint Joseph Medical Center, where he has been on staff for 14 years. Both Drs. Altergott and Foy are also members of Cardiac Surgery Associates, S.C., which serves the western suburbs as a leader in minimally invasive heart surgery, heart assistance devices, transplants, and many complex procedures.

Peter Stockmal, MD Medical Director of Emergency Services Provena Saint Joseph Medical Center Peter Stockmal, M.D., Medical Director of Emergency Services at Provena Saint Joseph Medical Center, was attracted to the variety of specialties in Emergency Medicine, which allows him to take care of a myocardial infarction, a serious trauma, a febrile child and a patient with depression all in a day’s work. "The best part of my job is seeing patients," explains Dr. Stockmal. "I also enjoy the challenges of management – it offers a variety problems that are different than what I see while working in the clinical environment. I feel a great deal of pride in the physicians and physician assistants - they astound me on a daily basis. I am also privileged to work with Pat McShaffrey, the Director of Emergency Medicine, who has taught me a great deal about being a manager. The recent change in the administration has also been fantastic. Under Jeff Brickman's leadership, Emergency Services has been given the tools and resources to improve our level of service and expand our capacity." "I am very proud of the Throughput Initiative that took place over the last 8 months at Provena Saint Joseph Medical Center," says Dr. Stockmal. "We experienced capacity issues in Emergency Services, many of them due to delays in getting them admitted. The Throughput Initiative ultimately affected the timeliness of care in Emergency Services by changing many of the processes that took place from the front door of the Emergency Department to the upper floors. This has resulted in a better, safer environment for everybody, especially our patients." Although he is extremely proud of the Throughput Initiative, he is even prouder of his greatest accomplishment – his wife Mary and children Andrew, Mathew, Mike and Abigail. "My family inspires me to be great, and without them, I wouldn’t be able to accomplish my goals." Dr. Peter Stockmal is Board certified by the American Board of Emergency Medicine and the National Board of Medical Examiners and is certified in Advanced Trauma Life Support and Advanced Cardiac Life Support. He is a graduate of the University of Illinois School of Medicine in Chicago. He completed his residency at William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Michigan.

Tamir Hersonskey, MD Provena Saint Joseph Medical Center In December 2004, Provena Saint Joseph Medical Center welcomed Dr. Tamir Hersonskey and a team of nationally and internationally recognized expert neurosurgeons from UIC, who are on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week to respond to intracranial and neurosurgical cases. Dr. Hersonskey has always been attracted to challenges, and especially enjoys reaching out and helping people. "I think that it is hard to find diseases which are more devastating then neurological disorders," explains Dr. Hersonskey. "Because of the complexity of the nervous system, operating on it successfully and saving a human life and their normal functions is, for me, the ultimate challenge and a very rewarding experience." According to Dr. Hersonskey, a perfect surgery in a technically demanding case, along with experiencing the happiness of the patient and their family when they know that the worst is behind them, provides a level of satisfaction in his job that cannot be replaced. "Every successful case is an accomplishment," says Dr. Hersonskey. "I have been a surgeon in the military, and this training and my neurosurgical training are some of my proudest accomplishments. I strive to continue to improve my surgical skills and knowledge every day, and I look forward to making Provena Saint Joseph Medical Center a leader in neurosurgical care." Dr. Hersonskey interned at the University of Illinois at Chicago, where he also became chief resident. He is an Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Traci P. Beck, MD Mercy Hospital Earning Trust One Patient at a Time Traci P. Beck, M.D., believes in serving the community, which is obvious when you spend even a small amount of time with her. On staff at Mercy Hospital’s Department of Urology, Dr. Beck is Board Certified in Urology. Upon completion of her Bachelor of Science degree from Stanford University, Dr. Beck obtained her medical degree from the University of Pittsburgh. Following medical school, Dr. Beck completed her residency at the University of Chicago, Department of Surgery, Urology Section. Always pursuing further training, Dr. Beck completed a Fellowship in Female Urology, Voiding Dysfunction and Genitourinary Reconstruction at Tower Urology Institute for Continence, in Los Angeles California. Dr. Beck is also a part of Prairie Medical Associates, Ltd. The only female Urologist in Chicago Fellowship Trained in Female Urology, Dr. Beck gives her patients at Mercy Hospital an unparalleled level of dedication that begins from the moment they are introduced, "It gives me a great sense of personal and professional satisfaction to have the unique opportunity to care for patients I truly understand and can connect with," she states. Always placing the patient first, Dr. Beck has been known to make house calls or pick up a patient from home for treatment. As Dr. Beck stresses, "It is important that patients trust you and trust that what you are doing is best for them." Many of the patients that Dr. Beck treats for Urinary Incontinence say that they live in isolation because of their condition, as she describes, "The patients stop going to church, the grocery store, or anywhere public." Using state-of-the-art equipment, such as Video Urodynamics, InterStim Therapy, and Intravesical Botox at Mercy Hospital, Dr. Beck offers minimally invasive surgical treatments that significantly improve her patients’ quality of life. Having truly found her passion, Dr. Beck’s dedication and professionalism is apparent to patients and colleagues alike. Although she is a recipient of a number of academic and professional awards, including the CaP Cure Award for Prostate Cancer Research, the Pfizer Scholars in Urology Award, and Today Chicago Woman-100 Women Making a Difference Award, Dr. Beck finds her greatest reward, "Hearing patients’ testimonials of improved health and quality of life," she declares. Dr. Traci P. Beck is dedicated to the community--living in it, caring for it, and treating it--one patient at a time.

Dr. Joan E. Cummings Receives 2005 Annual Achievement in Healthcare Management Award The Women Health Executives Network (WHEN) recently presented the 2005 Annual Achievement in Healthcare Management Award to Dr. Joan E. Cummings, M.D., for her outstanding contributions in healthcare. Dr. Cummings, a nationally respected leader and dynamic speaker in the health care field, was honored for her many accomplishments during her 35 year tenure at the Hines VA hospital and Loyola University medical complex in suburban Chicago. During this time, Dr. Cummings developed several innovative programs including a Wide Area Network to enable a vigorous telemedicine program named as one of the "100 Most Wired Healthcare Organizations," the first hospice unit for veterans and one of the first home hospice programs in the nation. Dr. Cummings also worked with Catholic Charities to establish a transitional living center on the Hines campus, with priority given to veterans and implemented the Homeless Veterans Burial Program to ensure a dignified, honorable military burial service for all homeless/indigent veterans in Chicago. Dr. Cummings broke new ground for women in healthcare by ascending to a senior administrator position at the VA, and by elevating the "Chiefs of Nursing Service" to the executive suite, giving nursing leaders the recognition they deserve. For these reasons, Dr. Cummings’ professional career and education make her the ideal award winner for the WHEN 2005 Achievement in Management Award.

Westlake Hospital Physician Marks 20 Years as United States Consulate General Dr. Jaime Escobar, an internal medicine physician on staff at Resurrection Health Care’s Westlake Hospital, recently celebrated 20 years as the United States consulate general of Bolivia. Dr. Escobar served as the honorary vice consul from 1972-1985 before being appointed to his current position. He works to advise Bolivians living in the midwestern states to assure they are treated fairly and acts as the representative for Bolivians in official matters concerning city, state and federal issues. Dr. Escobar has been on the Medical Staff at Westlake Hospital since 1984.

Andrew Greene, M.D. Pulmonologist Medical Director, Respiratory Care Advocate Bethany Hospital With asthma affecting inner city residents disproportionately, Dr. Andrew Greene tackles this disease and this disparity as a priority and a passion. As medical director of respiratory care at Advocate Bethany Hospital, located on Chicago’s west side, he leads a team of committed experts including nurses, respiratory therapists and educators, who are united in their efforts to lower the complication rate for children and adults who suffer from this serious and sometimes fatal disease. Under Dr. Greene’s direction, Bethany’s asthma program has become a model for other centers that are successfully reaching out to teach patients how to identify the early triggers of an attack and lessen the chance of a health emergency. "Asthma cannot be cured, but it CAN be managed effectively," Dr. Greene says. "This begins with education. It is vital for patients and their family members to identify the triggers that can cause an asthma flare-up—things such as dust, pet dander, and tobacco smoke, to name just a few. Avoiding the triggers is the first step toward managing asthma. With education and the proper use of today’s effective asthma medications, we can keep patients healthy and out of the hospital." After completing his BA degree at Northwestern University, Dr. Greene received his medical degree from Meharry Medical College, Nashville. He completed his internship, residency in internal medicine and fellowship in pulmonary disease at Cook County Hospital, Chicago. Board-certified in both internal medicine and pulmonary medicine, Dr. Greene has been a member of the medical staff at Bethany for more than 15 years. In addition to his role in respiratory care, he serves as Bethany’s medical director of occupational medicine.

Marc A. Silver M.D., FACP, FACC, FCCP, FCGC Chairman, Department of Medicine Medical Director, Heart Failure Institute Medical Director, Cardiovascular Fellowship Program Advocate Christ Medical Center Dr. Marc Silver has dedicated his career to improving the lives of patients who suffer from congestive heart failure. A recognized leader in the treatment of heart failure, he has demonstrated a long established interest in and achieved success for patients in the clinical aspects of this area of medicine. He also is an expert in the use of non-pharmacologic therapies and the education of clinicians. Dr. Silver is perhaps best known, both inside and outside academic circles, for his comprehensive book for patients, Success With Heart Failure: Help and Hope for Those with Congestive Heart Failure. Under Dr. Silver’s leadership, Advocate Christ Medical Center’s heart failure clinic was an early-adopter of the American Heart Association’s (AHA) Get With The Guidelines program. The acute care program, designed to improve outcomes in patients with heart disease, focuses on hospital care team protocols to ensure that patients are treated and discharged on appropriate medications and with risk modification counseling. The medical center achieved better than 85 percent compliance with the program during its first year and is considered a "best practices" hospital by the AHA. Dr. Silver has participated in more than 40 large-scale clinical trials as a principal investigator and is a fellow of the American College of Physicians, the American College of Cardiology and the American College of Chest Physicians. His scholarship and insights are reflected by his articles and abstracts published in Journal of the American College of Cardiology, and the New England Journal of Medicine. He has served as a visiting professor at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and at the Illinois Institute of Technology Pritzker Institute of Biomedical Engineering in Chicago. He previously served as professor of medicine, assistant professor of pathology and transplant cardiologist at Loyola University Medical Center. Dr. Silver received his medical degree from Rush Medical College in Chicago, Illinois, and completed his residency at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center also in Chicago. He served as a medical staff fellow in the pathology branch of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, in Bethesda, Maryland, and as a fellow in cardiovascular diseases at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center.

Michael O'Toole, M.D. Electrophysiologist and Pacing Specialist Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital Dr. Michael O’Toole has served for five years on the Physicians Informatics Committee of Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove. Dr. O’Toole has recently been appointed as chief information officer of Midwest Heart Specialists, affiliated with Good Samaritan Hospital. He is the former director of electrophysiology and continues to regularly hold lectures on topics such as cardiology, electrophysiology, cardiac pacing and medical informatics. Dr. O’Toole has been a member of Good Samaritan Hospital medical staff since 1990 and is a recipient of multiple awards for his commitment to advancing medicine and patient care using information technology. In 1999, he received the Smithsonian Institution’s award for innovation, Infoworld.com’s Top 10 Innovators Award and Windows NT’s Innovator of the Year for Healthcare. Dr. O’Toole also received the American Medical Group Association’s Models of Excellence in High-Risk Patient Management award in 2001 and the Safety Collaborative for the Outpatient Environment (SCOPE) award in 2002. Dr. Michael O'Toole graduated magna cum laude from Loyola University and received his medical degree from Loyola University’s Stritch School of Medicine in Maywood, Illinois. His medical training includes an internship and a residency in internal medicine at the University of Chicago Hospitals and clinics, a fellowship in cardiovascular diseases and cardiac electrophysiology at Loyola University Medical Center and Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, and a visiting research fellowship at the University of Chicago Hospitals and Clinics. Dr. O'Toole is board certified in internal medicine, cardiovascular diseases and clinical cardiac electrophysiology and is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology. Patients commend Dr. O’Toole on his wholistic approach to patient care as he tends to address needs above and beyond that of electrophysiology.

Michael Young, MD, SC Orthopedic Surgeon Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital Michael Young, MD, SC is an orthopedic surgeon on staff at Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital. Several years ago Dr. Young developed and continues to implement an initiative to collect surgical discards (opened but unused surgical equipment and outdated equipment) for medical institutions in underdeveloped countries that cannot sufficiently provide their own supplies. He single-handedly gathers, packages, and arranges to ship the equipment to a central distribution center, where the equipment is then refurbished, re-sterilized and repackaged for shipment to third world countries. Since its inception, the initiative has resulted in the shipment of more than five tons of supplies including three anesthesia machines, five OB beds, an angiography machine and much more. Dr. Young was the recipient of Good Shepherd Hospital’s MVP (Mission Values Philosophy) award for the generous work he does. His goal is to inspire other medical institutions throughout Chicagoland to join this initiative. Board certified by the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery, Dr. Young has been practicing medicine for 22 years and has been on staff at Good Shepherd Hospital since 1983. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery. Dr. Young completed his undergraduate work at the University of Illinois - Urbana and received his medical degree from the University of Illinois Medical Center in Chicago. He completed both his residency and internship in orthopedics at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, Illinois.

David Gustin, MD Oncology Medical Director, Creticos Cancer Center Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center David Gustin MD joined the staff of Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center in January 2005, as the new Section Chief of Medical Oncology and Medical Director of the Creticos Cancer Center. Dr. Gustin comes to Illinois Masonic from the University of Chicago, where he was an Assistant Professor in the Section of Hematology/Oncology. Dr. Gustin received his Doctor of Medicine Degree, Magna Cum Laude, from the Universidad Central Venezuela, completed his residency training at Michael Reese Hospital, where he was the Chief Medical Resident in Internal Medicine, and obtained his Fellowship in Hematology/Oncology from the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. Dr. Gustin’s scientific expertise in the academic setting enabled him to focus his research work on cancer prevention. In his new role as medical director at Illinois Masonic, Dr. Gustin dedicates his time to the development of programs that enhance the patient experience. The Center is home to Chicago’s first cancer program dedicated solely to the Latino community. Dr. Gustin brings both bilingual and bicultural experience to enrich the Center’s services by providing leadership in cancer education, screening and comprehensive care for the Latino community. As Center physicians and patients work together to fight disease, they also are aligned in the battle to prevent it. Dr. Gustin and his team are actively involved in clinical trials of new drugs and therapies that fight and prevent cancer. The Center participates in over 20 clinical trials that explore new and potentially improved ways to treat cancer. Additionally, the Center belongs to two major national research groups, NSABP (The National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project) and RTOG (The Radiation Therapy Oncology Group).

James Keller, MD Chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Advocate Lutheran General Hospital James Keller, M.D., has recently been appointed chair of the department of obstetrics and gynecology at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, where he has served as interim chair since June 2004. Dr. Keller was highly recommended by the search committee of Lutheran General Hospital and received strong support from the department of obstetrics and gynecology. Dr. Keller has been on staff at Lutheran General Hospital since 1990, most recently serving as the director of maternal fetal medicine for the hospital and Advocate Medical Group. Dr. Keller served as director of the residency program in the department of obstetrics and gynecology from 1994 through 2001. He was previously director of maternal fetal medicine at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center. Dr. Keller did his undergraduate work at the University of Michigan and received his medical degree from Michigan State University. He completed his residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Sinai Hospital of Detroit, where he received the Morris E. Bachman Award as outstanding resident. He then went on to complete a fellowship in maternal fetal medicine at Northwestern University Hospital. He is board certified in obstetrics and gynecology as well as maternal fetal medicine.

Raghbir Singh Benawra, MD Advocate Lutheran General Hospital Raghbir Benawra, M.D., has served as medical director of neonatology at Advocate Lutheran General’s Children’s Hospital for 23 years and has served in various other capacities since completing his residency in 1977 and fellowship in 1979. Dr. Benawra has served as director of the newborn nursery, the neonatal ECMO program, the SIDS/Apnea program and as associate director of neonatology for the hospital. He has been recognized by management and staff for superior skills in team building, research projects and administration. In addition to his work at Advocate Lutheran General Children’s Hospital, Dr. Benawra is a practicing associate professor of pediatrics at Chicago Medical School and lecturer in pediatrics at Rush Medical College in Chicago, IL. Named as one of the best neonatologists in Top Doctors, Chicago Metro Area (2nd edition, Castle Connolly Guide 2002-2003), Dr. Benawra has been recognized with the Pediatric Residency Teaching Award for Excellence in Pediatric Subspecialties (1998, 2000, 2001). Dr. Benawra received his M.D. in pediatrics from Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College, Indore, India in 1974.

Sheldon A. Levine, D.O. Family Practitioner Advocate South Suburban Hospital Family practitioner Sheldon A. Levine, D.O., of Advocate South Suburban Hospital in Hazel Crest, Illinois, is a physician who has devoted much of his career to reaching out to the community. Whether it be making free house calls to his many patients, raising money to assist the Boys & Girls Club or offering free medical services to celebrities visiting the Chicago area, Dr. Levine has put aside his own personal time to make a difference in the lives of others. It all began in 1974, when Dr. Levine joined the board of directors of the Louis L. Valentine Boys & Girls Club in Chicago’s Bridgeport neighborhood. Dr. Levine soon became the chair of the organization’s fundraising committee, leading a number of sub-committees that raise tens of thousands each year to support the many activities offered to approximately 3,000 Chicago children. One of the more glamorous aspects of Dr. Levine’s philanthropy is the pro bono medical service he provides entertainers that visit the Chicago area. Dr. Levine has made himself on-call and present during performances at Chicago’s entertainment venues for 25 years. Some of the many celebrities he has cared for free of charge include Frank Sinatra, Britney Spears, Jimmy Buffet, John Mellencamp and Tom Petty. He is currently the on-call "physician to the stars" for Chicago’s United Center, the Tweeter Center in Tinley Park and the Allstate Arena in Rosemont. In the last couple of years, Dr. Levine has graciously donated a number of signed guitars for the hospital to auction at its annual fundraising gala. This year is no exception. He has already obtained signed guitars from Dave Matthews, John Mellencamp, Jon Bon Jovi, Def Leppard and Willie Nelson. These items will be auctioned at this year’s gala, Rockin’ Tailgate 2005, at Chicago’s Soldier Field on November 19. More information can be obtained at 847-384-3400. Dr. Levine has scheduled his personal and professional life around giving his time and talents to those in need. From the most destitute children, to shut-ins, to celebrities, Dr. Levine has touched the lives of thousands in his own community and across the country.

Paul Crawford, M.D. Advocate Trinity Hospital Advocate Trinity Hospital’s doctors are repeatedly ranked among the best in Chicago by physicians, nurses, hospital administrators and a variety of health care organizations in the Chicago area. Paul Crawford, M.D. is one of those doctors. Dr. Crawford is a neprologist and graduate of Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine. He obtained his residency in internal medicine at St. Joseph Hospital in Chicago and went on to obtain a fellowship in nephrology at the University of Illinois Medical School. Dr. Crawford is a man of passion and motivated by the opportunity to create positive change, not only for his patients, but also for entire communities. For this reason, he was selected by the American Heart Association to be honored with the 2004 Coeur D’Or (Heart of Gold) award. The award is presented to one individual each year who has made great strides in improving clinical outcomes through cardiovascular disease treatment or research. Dr. Crawford, who is actively involved in a variety of free community outreach programs, says that while the majority of his time is dedicated to treating patients in the end stages of kidney and cardiovascular diseases, his passion is to reach and educate people prior to diagnosis. "I am focused on a wholistic approach to caring for my patients," he says. "You can prevent not just kidney failure, but more importantly, cardiovascular deaths when you identify, educate and treat people who are at high risk for kidney disease – preventing them from ever advancing to kidney failure."

Jo Gertzen, MD Chief of Medicine and Medical Director of Long Term Care Oak Forest Hospital of Cook County Dr. Jo Gertzen, Chief of Medicine and Medical Director of Long Term Care at Oak Forest Hospital of Cook County, joined Oak Forest Hospital in 1990 and has served in several capacities over the years. Highly respected by the Oak Forest Hospital community at-large, Dr. Gertzen’s proudest accomplishment is her work in the HIV/AIDS unit at Oak Forest Hospital. Dr. Gertzen received her bachelor of arts and medical degrees from the University of Kansas with residencies in general surgery and internal medicine at the University of Portland, Oregon, and University of Missouri Medical Centers. She is board certified in internal medicine, with ACLS/Advanced Cardiac Life Support and Geriatrics Care qualifications. She served as chief resident , internal medicine, at John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County (then Cook County Hospital) and as assistant to the program director for the department of medicine. Yet, Dr. Gertzen feels the most important skill needed to be successful in her job is the ability to make the human connection with her patients. Dr. Gertzen, who most admires her mother, a nurse who truly cared about people, says one of her goals is to navigate each patient safely through their hospital stay, impressing upon them what they will need to do once they return home.

Yaakov Friedman, MD Director, Critical Care Unit Provident Hospital of Cook County Dr. Yaakov Friedman has been the director of the Critical Care Unit at Provident Hospital of Cook County since 1993 and the Chairman of the Department of Critical Care since 1994. Dr. Friedman completed his undergraduate and medical education at Boston University. His internship and residency were in internal medicine at Coney Island Hospital in Brooklyn, New York. It was during this period that Dr. Friedman developed an interest in caring for the poor and underserved population. He also developed a love for critical care during this time and completed a fellowship in Critical Care Medicine at the world renowned Maryland Institute for Emergency Services Systems (MIEMSS) in Baltimore, also known as the Shock Trauma unit, the first trauma unit of its kind. In 1985, Dr. Friedman accepted a position in the Medical ICU at what was then Cook County Hospital. After eight years , he was asked to join Provident Hospital to develop the combined medical/surgical/cardiac unit in the reopening hospital. Dr. Friedman helped to develop policies and procedures for what was initially a 7-bed Critical Care unit. The unit has expanded and is currently a 15- bed unit with 6 full time and approximately 20 part time physicians. In addition to his work in the hospital, Dr. Friedman is active in community health. He is the founder and chairman of an organization whose aim is to provide health education and benefits to the community. As part of this organization approximately 150-200 people annually receive premarital screening for 10 autosomal recessive diseases.

Paul Carryon, MD Attending Physician, Cardiology Provident Hospital of Cook County The son of two social workers, Paul Carryon was born in Cleveland, Ohio. His family soon moved to Chicago, where he received all of his pre college education in the Chicago Public School System. He graduated from Hyde Park High School in the midst of the Civil Rights Movement and the War in Vietnam; both of these events profoundly affected him as a youth, and influenced him to think about serving others in whatever career he chose. Choosing medicine, Dr. Carryon received his undergraduate education at Princeton University and studied medicine at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California. He completed an internship at Martin Luther King Hospital in Los Angeles, his residency training at then Cook County Hospital and obtained fellowships in cardiovascular medicine, first at the University of Chicago Medical Center, and later at the University of Michigan. Dr. Carryon returned to Chicago with a desire to serve underserved populations on the city’s South Side. Prior to joining the Cook County Health System at Provident Hospital, he worked at the Williams Clinic, St. Bernard Hospital and Mercy Hospital. The recipient of several honors during his career, Dr. Carryon was inducted into Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society while in medical school and received the Dean Robert Glaser Book Award for "Outstanding Leadership." He was also the only American physician-in-training to be selected as a fellow to participate in the International Society of Cardiology Seminar on Cardiovascular Epidemiology in Accra, Ghana in 1977. Board certified in both internal medicine and cardiovascular disease, Dry Carryon is a member of the Chicago and Illinois State Medical Societies, the National Medical Association, the American Medical Association and the Association of Black Cardiologists.

Joseph Pulvirenti, MD Senior Attending Physician Ruth M. Rothstein CORE Center Dr. Joseph Pulvirenti is an infectious disease specialist who has worked with HIV infected patients since 1985. Born in New York City, he came to Chicago to attend medical school. While in medical school Dr. Pulvirenti did a few rotations at then Cook County Hospital and fell in love with the hospital; he completed his internship, residency and an infectious disease fellowship at the hospital. During Dr. Pulvirenti’s fellowship he began working in the HIV clinic. After a brief time in private practice, Dr. Pulbirenti returned to Cook County and has served as head of retrovirology and director of inpatient HIV services. In March of this year, Dr. Pulvirenti added to his duties the chairmanship of infectious diseases and infection control at Provident Hospital of Cook County, another Cook County Bureau of Health Servcies’ affiliate. Despite this new role, Dr. Pulvirenti continues to see patients in clinic at the Ruth M. Rothstein CORE Center and has traveled internationally on HIV-related missions on several occassions. He worked for a short period of time in an HIV clinic in Botswana and has lectured there in addition to India and the Ukraine. He is currently working with a group in developing an HIV facility in Umtata South Africa.

Kimberly Joseph, MD Director of Trauma ICU John H. Stroger Hospital of Cook County Dr. Kimberly Joseph is the Director of the Trauma Intensive Care Unit and the Divisional Chairperson for Intensive Care and Prevention in the Department of Trauma at John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County. Stroger Hospital’s Trauma Department has earned a worldwide reputation for its standard of excellent trauma care. The busiest trauma department in the Midwest, Stroger’s Trauma Unit provides more than 5,000 patient encounters a year. In addition to her position at Stroger Hospital, Dr. Joseph is an Assistant Professor of General Surgery at the RUSH Medical College in Chicago. She received her undergraduate degree in biological sciences and in social work from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Her medical school training was at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York, where she was an Aura Sevringhaus Scholar. She did her residency in General Surgery at the University of Illinois/Cook County Hospital program and her Trauma and Critical Care Fellowship at Cook County Hospital. Dr. Joseph is board certified in General Surgery and Surgical Critical Care by the American Board Surgery, and also has additional certification as a Nutrition Support Physician from the American Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN). She is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (ACS), a member of the Chicago Committee on Trauma of the ACS, where she serves as chair of the Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) course sub-committee as well as the Prevention subcommittee, director of the Critical Care symposium for the Surgical Section of the National Medical Association and a member of several professional and civic organizations.

Pamela Ganshow, MD Director, Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening John H. Stroger Hospital of Cook County Dr. Pamela Ganshow has emerged as a national expert in breast health. She is an invited speaker at national meetings, the author of books and articles, and the leader of million dollar efforts to study and improve the quality of care for disadvantaged women in Chicago with breast problems. After completing her residency at Northwestern University, she joined the Department of Medicine at then Cook County Hospital (now the state-of-the-art John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County) and within two years was the director of the institution’s breast and cervical cancer screening program. Since then, she has focused her attention on addressing two important concerns: What are the reasons for the dramatic racial disparities in breast cancer morbidity and mortality? and How can we best ameliorate these disparities, especially among women at higher than average risk for getting breast cancer? Dr. Ganshow has received grant funding from the Avon Foundation to build a model program for the Cook County Bureau of Health Services that will provide state-of-the-art care for undeserved women with breast problems. A computerized tracking and case management system will help assure that women with suspicious mammogram findings will have prompt and appropriate follow-up. Avon has also provided funding for a new program for genetic testing and breast cancer risk assessment among minority women. This novel program will create an interdisciplinary team of physicians, psychologists, health educators, and genetic counselors for providing optimal, culturally-relevant communication about breast cancer risk using results from genetic testing. Last year, the American College of Physicians published Dr. Ganshow’s highly acclaimed book, Breast Health and Common Breast Problems, which was co-authored with several colleagues at Stroger Hospital, as well as other national experts.

Patricia Herrera, MD Attending Physician Ruth M. Rothstein CORE Center Dr. Patricia (Patty) Herrera is an attending physician at the Ruth M. Rothstein CORE Center, a national model for HIV/AIDS prevention, research and treatment. Born in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of Mexican immigrants, Dr. Herrera grew up in the Pilsen /Little Village area of Chicago. Her mother, a single parent, worked hard in factories her entire career and instilled in her children the importance of education. After high school, Dr. Herrera went to Loyola University in Chicago with a strong desire to become a physician. She studied medicine at the University of Iowa and, while in medical school developed an interest in infectious diseases spurred on by the onset of the HIV epidemic. Wanting to make a difference, she returned to the Chicago area and trained in internal medicine and then infectious diseases at Loyola University Medical Center. Dr. Herrera joined the Cook County health system at a time when it was ground zero for the HIV epidemic in Chicago. She initially focused on HIV in women and then expanded to treating HIV in Hispanics, which has become her passion. Many patients Dr. Herrera sees in clinic only speak Spanish and could not communicate effectively with many English-speaking clinic staff. In response to this, Dr. Herrera was among those who advocated strongly for the creation of a Bilingual Clinic. This clinic opened in 2000 at the Ruth M. Rothstein CORE Center. The clinic provides a multidisciplinary approach to HIV care by bilingual staff. Soon overwhelmed by the volume of patients (Hispanics now account for 19% of all U.S. AIDS cases, while only comprising 14% of the U.S. population), Dr. Herrera again lobbied passionately for a second clinic to relieve the overcrowding. The second Bilingual clinic session began in July 2005.

Ramona Rodriguez, MD Medical Director Logan Square Health Center Ambulatory & Community Health Network Dr. Ramona Rodriguez joined the Cook County Bureau of Health Services in 1994; in 1999, she became Medical Director for the Logan Square Health Center, achieving her lifelong dream of returning to the community to serve and improve the health of vulnerable populations. Logan Square serves a predominantly Hispanic population where 90% are uninsured or underinsured. In addition to her duties as Medical Director, Dr. Rodriguez maintains her clinical practice at the health center and serves on the Bureau’s diversity council, which has a special focus on physician outreach and recruitment. She is also an assistant professor at RUSH University. Dr. Rodriguez received her bachelor of arts degree in biology at DePaul University and her medical degree from the College of Medicine at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She completed her primary care internal medicine residency at Wayne State University in Detroit, and is board certified in internal medicine. A 2001 Fellow for Leadership Greater Chicago, Dr. Rodriguez volunteers her time as a medical ambassador for the American Cancer Society, co-chairs the North Central District Community Health Council of Chicago and is a board member of the Illinois Maternal and Child Health Coalition.

Mohamed Mansour, MD Senior Attending Physician Cermak Health Services of Cook County Dr. Mohamed Mansour is a Senior Attending Physician at Cermak Health Services of Cook County. Cermak provides comprehensive health care to the more than 100,000 detainees admitted annually to the Cook County Department of Corrections (CCDOC) in Chicago, IL. Dr. Mansour is board certified in internal medicine, board eligible in occupational and preventive medicine, has a master’s degree in public health (MPH), and has a Ph.D. in epidemiology. This unique combination of clinical, preventive medicine, research, teaching, and public health skills is an invaluable asset to the delivery of health care and the prevention of disease transmission in correctional settings. As chairman of the Infection Control Committee, Dr. Mansour has successfully conceived and implemented surveillance programs to monitor HIV infection, Tuberculosis, Sexually Transmitted Diseases and MRSA infections. In addition, he has coordinated vaccination programs against Hepatitis, Influenza and Pneumococcal diseases; has been instrumental to the development and monitoring of the uniquely effective and nationally recognized mini-chest x-ray TB screening program at Cermak; and his leadership and epidemiological expertise were invaluable to the reinstitution of STD screening program at Cook County Jail.

Mark J. Alberts, MD Director, Stroke Program, Northwestern Memorial Hospital Professor of Neurology at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine Mark J. Alberts, M.D., has dedicated his professional career to improving stroke care. Five years ago, Dr. Alberts worked in cooperation with some of the country’s leading physicians to author the Brain Attack Coalition’s (BAC) recommendations for Primary Stroke Centers (PSC), upon which the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) guidelines are largely based. This year, he again led the BAC in taking this work to the next level with the development of recommendations for establishing Comprehensive Stroke Centers (CSC) aimed at treating patients with complex types of stroke or cerebrovascular disease who require more specialized care and technological resources than are available at PSCs. These recommendations provide patients, physicians, administrators, and health care planners with the most advanced and detailed recommendations for the structure and process of high level stroke care. To be a comprehensive stroke center, a hospital needs to be a primary stroke center, along with several dozen additional elements in terms of staffing, personnel, infrastructure, programs, expertise and outcomes. The guidelines state that CSCs need stroke specialists, advanced imaging and surgical capabilities, and a specialized infrastructure. This objective set of recommendations is meant to help guide healthcare professionals and hospitals in terms of what it expected from a CSC in terms of programs and personnel and expertise. They may also help assist patients in terms of where to go with complex problems related to stroke. Dr. Alberts’ commitment to leading stroke care is further evidenced by the fact that within the past year, Northwestern Memorial Hospital became the first hospital in the city of Chicago to earn the Gold Seal of Approval™ for stroke care, certified by JCAHO. When the recommendations for PSCs were published, a survey showed that less than 34 percent of hospitals had appropriate stroke protocols in place and less than 18 percent had rapid identification for patients experiencing acute stroke. Today, there are over 120 PSCs certified by JCAHO and several hundred more are moving in that direction. Overall, the level and quality of care for stroke patients have increased dramatically in the past few years and Dr. Alberts is working to ensure this pattern continues.

Boris Pasche, MD, PhD, FACP Director of Northwestern’s Cancer Genetics Program Researcher, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University Assistant Professor of Medicine at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine Boris Pasche, M.D., an oncologist at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, has been conducting ground-breaking research into the genetic causes of cancer. Dr. Pasche has published recent articles that have gained worldwide attention in the medical community: In a paper published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Dr. Pasche reported that a gene present in nearly one in eight people is the most commonly inherited cancer susceptibility gene identified so far, increasing cancer risk in carriers by 26 percent. More common than the BRCA gene mutations, Transforming Growth Factor Beta Receptor 1*6A (TGFBR1*6A) may increase risk of breast cancer by 48 percent, ovarian cancer by 53 percent, and colon cancer by 38 percent, Dr. Pasche reported. In a related study also published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Dr. Pasche reported that TGFBR1*6A might also be responsible for a significant proportion of familial colorectal cancers, which make up 15 to 20 percent of all colorectal cancers. In a study published in the journal Cancer Research, Dr. Pasche identified a gene variant that greatly increases the risk of breast cancer. The study was the first aimed at determining whether various combinations of two naturally-occurring variants of the Transforming Growth Factor-beta pathway may predict breast cancer risk. Dr. Pasche, who is a native of Switzerland and did his three-year fellowship at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, has several ongoing trials looking into cancer and genetics and a study being published in the magazine Prevention this fall related to genetic markers for breast cancer. Northwestern's Cancer Genetics Program, which was launched last fall and which Dr. Pasche heads, is a comprehensive cancer genetics program that provides cancer predictive gene testing and genetic counseling. "In the near future, it will be commonplace for people to know what genes make them more susceptible to cancer," says Dr. Pasche. "And we'll then have many more options for preventing those cancers."

Patrick McCarthy, MD Co-director, Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute of Northwestern Memorial Hospital Chief, Cardiothoracic Surgery, Northwestern Memorial Hospital Professor of Surgery, Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine In April of 2004, Northwestern Memorial hospital launched a new era of heart care in Chicago when Patrick McCarthy, M.D., a Chicago native, returned home to lead the hospital’s division of cardiac surgery and build one of the country’s premier programs in the heart of Chicago. Known as the nation’s foremost expert in cardiac surgery and considered a household name, Dr. McCarthy came to Northwestern Memorial from the Cleveland Clinic where he was the surgical director of the George M. and Linda H. Kaufman Center for Heart Failure and the program director of the Heart Transplant and Mechanical Circulatory Support programs. Since arriving, he has led the Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute of Northwestern Memorial to rapid growth and success, doubling the number of heart surgeries performed within the first year while leading the country in in-hospital outcomes data in many areas. In June, Dr. McCarthy – who performed more than 75 heart transplants per year at Cleveland Clinic with an 80 percent survival rate at five years – also helped to relaunch the Northwestern Memorial’s Heart Transplant Program. Within the past year, he also performed the country’s first-ever minimally-invasive Maze procedure using high intensity focused ultrasound technology. And, as testament to his acclaimed reputation, Dr. McCarthy was one of two physicians chosen to host a pilot episode of Mini-Med School TV, an educational program airing on PBS stations across the country. Dr. McCarthy has an international reputation as an extraordinarily skilled surgeon successfully performing some of the country’s most complex heart surgeries. He is also a leader in heart valve repair, being an innovator of several valve repair techniques. He recently designed a mitral valve prosthetic ring that is used to repair leaking mitral valves and is regarded as one of the best devices available. In order to build the six centers within the Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute -- Heart Failure, Vascular Disease, Atrial Fibrillation, Women’s Cardiovascular Health, Coronary Disease and Heart Valve Disease – Dr. McCarthy played an instrumental role in the recruitment of other top specialists in the area of heart disease.