We salute those who - New Orleans City Business

IntroductionHealth Care Heroes honorsheartbeat of New OrleansPutting ALL thepieces together...Quality patient care begins the minute you pull up to our door.Quality patient care is made up of many pieces – the valet who greetsyou in the driveway, the person who admits you with a smile, thehousekeeper who cleans your room, the nurse who takes your bloodpressure, the doctor who listens to your heart. At Tulane MedicalCenter, we don’t just practice medicine, we shape your entire healthcareexperience. Congratulations to our diverse group of 2009 Health CareHeroes, each of whom plays a vital role in creating the best qualitypatient care experience for every person who arrives at our door.Tulane Medical Center Health Care HeroesStephen BaldwinVice President of OperationsSander Florman, MDDirector of Abdominal TransplantTimothy Harlan, MDMedical Director of Outpatient ClinicsKathy Steiner, RNDirector of Adult Care ServicesIt’s not just medicine,it’s TULANE medicine.www. t u l a n e h e a l t h c a r e . c om504-988-58001415 Tulane AvenueNew Orleans, LA 70112Christian MoisesNews EditorLife or death.That’s pretty much the order of the day formost of the 2009 Health Care Heroes.And while they often face grueling, heartbreakingsituations, it’s caring for people thatmotivates them.The 55 honorees who make up the third annualHealth Care Heroes class have proved their commitmentto the region based on their professionalaccomplishments and perseverance. As always,choosing finalists posed a big challenge for theselection panel, as the stories, accomplishmentsand contributions to the health care communitymake every nominee so deserving.In the program’s third year, honorees discusstheir most challenging, memorable, difficult orrewarding experience, and the stories are powerful.Many honorees selected this year have pulled frompersonal experience to relate with and help care fortheir patients.Countless others have gone beyond their clinics,hospitals and offices to immerse themselves in surroundingcommunities, in the process providingcare to the city’s less fortunate and foreign languagepopulations.Divided among six categories — animal care,first responders, nursing, physicians, professionalsand volunteers — our honorees are quite literallythe region’s life support.This year’s two animal care heroes show theircommitment to patients that cannot defend themselvesor communicate when they need help.The four first responders — three from the samefamily — represent the best of health care’s frontline, including emergency medical technicians,paramedics and police.Eleven nurses are honored this year for providingcare in the face of adversity, serving as modelsof professionalism to their peers.The 20 physicians selected this year offerexpertise to a struggling local health care industry.Despite increased patient loads, more serioushealth issues and budget crunches, these doctorsroutinely show their dedication.The 12 health care professionals honored thisyear have contributed to returning a high standardof health care to the region. Their responsibilitiesrange from financial work and creating hospitalmenus to training some of the world’s top athletes.This year’s six volunteer honorees have devotedtheir time and specialized skills as non-payrollaides to help patients and clinic visitors feel comfortable.CityBusiness thanks each of them for their tirelesseffort and the difference they are make in thewelfare of the community.Congratulations to the Health Care HeroesClass of 2009.•News Editor Christian Moises can be reached at 293-9249 or by e-mail at christian.moises@nopg.com.6 Health Care Heroes