The University of Tennessee Health Science Center’s impact on health care in the Memphis community was evident during the Memphis Business Journal’s 2023 Health Care Heroes Awards Thursday night.
Faculty and staff from UTHSC and partner teaching hospitals joined outstanding winners and finalists from across the city’s health care landscape in being honored at the awards, which recognize institutions, organizations, and individuals for their contributions to health care in Memphis and the Mid-South. Awards were presented in the categories of Administrative Excellence, Community Outreach, Health Care Innovations, Health Care Provider-Physician, Health Care Provider Non-Physician. A Lifetime Achievement Award was also presented.
“The impact UTHSC has on the health care community is exceptional and so apparent when you look at the range of influence here in Memphis from the research to the clinical and community focused efforts,” said Joanna Crangle, market president and publisher of the Memphis Business Journal. The event was sponsored by First Horizon and held at The Kent in downtown Memphis. Impressive winners and finalists from across Memphis institutions took the spotlight for their efforts to care for the people of Memphis
Teresa Hartnett, EdD, MPA, senior associate dean of Finance and Administration in the UTHSC College of Medicine, won in the category of Administrative Excellence.
Evan Glazer, MD, PhD, FACS, an associate professor in the Division of Surgical Oncology in the College of Medicine and a surgical oncologist at Regional One Health, was the winner in the Physician Category.
John Bissler, MD, a professor and division chief of Pediatric Nephrology in the College of Medicine and director of the Tuberous Sclerosis Center of Excellence at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, won in the category of Health Care Innovations.
Timothy Fabian, MD, retired director of the Elvis Presley Trauma Center at Regional One Health, professor emeritus and retired chair of the UTHSC Department of Surgery, received the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Numerous finalists from UTHSC and hospital partners were also among those recognized during the event.
Health Care Innovations:
Kenneth Ataga, MD, Plough Foundation Endowed Chair in Sickle Cell Disease, director of the UTHSC Center for Sickle Cell Disease, and a professor of Medicine in the College of Medicine
Terri Finkel, MD, PhD, vice department chair of Clinical Affairs at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital and associate chair and professor of the Department of Pediatrics at UTHSC
Health Care-Non-Physician:
Crystal Martin Walker, PhD, DNP, FNP-C, assistant professor in the College of Nursing, and advanced practice nurse at Regional One Health
Health Care-Physician Category:
Jim Bailey, MD, Robert S. Pearce Endowed Chair in Internal Medicine, director for the Center for Health Systems Improvement, executive director for the Tennessee Population Health Consortium, and principal investigator for the Tennessee Heart Health Network
James Harkess, MD, orthopaedic surgeon at Campbell Clinic and Baptist Memorial Health Care, associate professor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Biomedical Engineering at UTHSC
“The University of Tennessee Health Science Center is honored that so many of our team members were recognized during the awards,” said Chancellor Peter Buckley, MD. “We congratulate them and all the honorees on their outstanding work. UTHSC exists in partnership with the exemplary health care institutions in our community. Together, we strive to provide the highest quality care to our community and across Tennessee.”