Dr. Wurtz named as Health Care Hero
Health Care Heroes 2010
Each year, the Indianapolis Business Journal accepts nominations for the Health Care Heroes awards. From the list of nominees, three Heroes are selected as finalists. Those three are in the spotlight at the breakfast awards ceremony and one person or group is chosen as the winner in each of the five categories.
This year, IUSM was well represented with finalists in three categories at the March 5 breakfast.
The winner of the Physician category was patient advocate and psychiatrist Alan D. Schmetzer, MD, professor of psychiatry. An IUSM faculty member since 1986, Dr. Schmetzer has spent the past 40 years caring for patients with psychiatric disorders and working to increase the understanding of the disorders and programs available. He began his career in emergency psychiatric care at Midtown Community Mental Health Center and along the way served as superintendent of Larue Carter Hospital. He also is actively involved in educating medical students and residents as director and later vice-chair of psychiatry education.
A finalist in the Physician category Martin B. Kleiman, MD, the Ryan White Professor of Pediatrics at IUSM and a pediatric infectious disease physician at Riley Hospital, diagnosed Ryan White with AIDS in 1984 and since then has worked tirelessly to care for children with HIV/AIDS and educate pregnant Hoosiers about treatments and help prevent babies from contracting the disease. He has led the expansion of infectious disease treatment at Riley.
The winner of the Non-Physician category was Matthew Aalsma, PhD, assistant professor of psychology and pediatrics in the Section of Adolescent Medicine. His research and efforts to ensure that Indiana provides care for the physical and mental health of young offenders has resulted in legislative changes in Medicaid rules. In addition to his interest in juveniles in the justice system, Dr. Aalsma counsels youth and conducts screenings for the Marion County juvenile justice system.
L. Daniel Wurtz, MD, was a finalist in the Advancements in Health Care category. An IUSM professor of orthopaedic surgery at Riley Hospital, Dr. Wurtz has focused on limb-saving research for children with cancer. He has spearheaded treatment with a device known as Repiphysis - a metal prosthesis that can be inserted into a limb to replace bone lost to a tumor. As the child grows, the device can be painlessly lengthened without the need for invasive surgery.
The Health and Hospital Corporation of Marion County was the winner of the Community Achievement in Health Care category for its successful referendum to construct a new 1.2 million square foot, 315-bed complex to replace antiquated Wishard facilities. The award was accepted by Lisa Harris, MD, the John F. Williams Jr., MD Scholar, associate professor of medicine and the director and associate dean of Wishard Health Services, and Matt Gutwein, president and CEO of Health and Hospital.
L. Daniel Wurtz
Assistant Professor
of Orthopaedic Surgery
