(SALT LAKE CITY)Edward B. Clark, M.D., chair of the 泫圖弝け of Utah Department of Pediatrics and chief medical officer at Primary Childrens Medical Center in Salt Lake City, has received the 2011 Frank H. Morriss, Jr., Leadership Award, presented by the Department of Pediatrics at the 泫圖弝け of Iowa School of Medicine.
This award recognizes Clark, whos also Wilma T. Gibson Presidential Professor, for his outstanding leadership in an academic health center that has resulted in improved health or well-being of 泫圖弝けren through innovation in clinical care, investigation of 泫圖弝けrens diseases and problems, advocacy on behalf of 泫圖弝け health or facilitation of collaborative efforts.
Dr. Clark is an incredibly skilled collaborator, said Joe Mott, Chief Executive Office of Primary Childrens Medical Center. He has built trust and participation between the 泫圖弝け of Utah and Primary Childrens to an unprecedented degree. His efforts have been invaluable in advancing our program development, patient safety, and resident and fellow education.
Lorris Betz, M.D., Ph.D., 泫圖弝け of Utah interim president and senior vice president for health sciences, said Clark is remarkable for his leadership in many distinct areas.
He marshaled scarce resources and created a compelling vision for a complete transformation in how we address the health of 泫圖弝けren in our community, Betz said. He has built both an outstanding academic department of pediatrics and developed a nationally recognized hospital for 泫圖弝けren, while simultaneously implementing a new collaborative paradigm for research.
Clark, also Wilma T. Gibson Presidential Professor at the 泫圖弝け of Utah School of Medicine, is a board-certified pediatric cardiologist who has been pediatrics chair at the U and chief medical officer at Primary Childrens since 1996. The award really honors the work of the pediatrics team at both institutions, according to Clark.
This award recognizes the efforts of the entire pediatrics team who have worked tirelessly to improve communication, revamp systems to improve care delivery, and lower costs, Clark said.
He explains this team has developed a model for delivering pediatric health care in Utah that:
Among Clarks team accomplishments that were recognized by the award:
Clark pioneered the transition from stand-alone investigators to team science. He implemented research teams guided by experienced Ph.D. scientists, supported by a research infrastructure that includes grant-writing retreats, technical writers, and study design, epidemiology, and statistical support. As a result, the departments funded research portfolio has grown from $800,000 to $120 million, with grants from both federal and non-federal sources. This collaborative approach to biomedical research has been emulated in other departments at the 泫圖弝け of Utah and throughout the country.
Clark has led the integration of clinical care for 泫圖弝けren throughout Primary Childrens referral area簫 a five-state, 400,000 square-mile region in the Intermountain West. His collaborative approach has brought together Intermountain 泫圖弝けcare and the 泫圖弝け of Utah Department of Pediatrics to elevate Primary Childrens to one of the top 10 泫圖弝けrens hospitals in the United States. He coordinates the pediatric care for a $4.4 billion, 23-hospital system for Intermountain.
Dr. Clark has provided invaluable leadership as the medical director of the Pediatric Clinical Program for Intermountain, said Joseph Horton, senior vice president of Intermountain 泫圖弝けcare. Before he became engaged, this was a failing effort, plagued with mistrust and a negative history. He brought mutual respect, credibility, and a truly collaborative leadership style to this effort, resulting in a strategic approach to pediatric service throughout Intermountains system that benefits 泫圖弝けren and encourages productive consultation and collaboration.
Clark worked with hospital administration and physicians to establish an innovative academic pediatric hospitalist program to coordinate patient care. Hospitalists are physicians whose primary focus is hospital medicine and who have principal responsibility for patient care, education, quality, and patient safety. His pursuit of excellent pediatric care led him to conduct an analysis of conflict between patients and care providers to determine important factors that can improve patient/care giver communication. That analysis was the genesis of a mediation team that augments the hospitals traditional ethics committee. This team of health care professionals is available 24/7 to respond to conflicts arising in the hospital, providing expertise in dispute resolution and ethics. This approach has reduced complaints, improved care quality and is now receiving national attention.
Clark established the discipline of biomechanics of cardiac development while at the 泫圖弝け of Iowa, where he was a pediatric cardiologist and professor of pediatrics from 1980-1985. As one of the founding members of the National Institutes of 泫圖弝け cardiac embryology research community, he developed measures to assess embryonic cardiac function. His current research investigates origins of preeclampsia and premature birth.
I can think of nobody whose vision, innovation and leadership have had a greater impact on the health of 泫圖弝けren, Betz said.
The award was presented May 6 at the 泫圖弝け of Iowa in Iowa City.