BizWest honors medical pros with Health Care Heroes awards

BizWest recognized health care workers’ and organizations’ contributions to the well-being of the Boulder Valley and Northern Colorado regions Thursday with the 2021 Health Care Heroes awards. 

The following individuals and groups represent the winners and finalists in the various Health Care Heroes categories:

Community Service

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Honors an individual or organization — from within or outside of health care — for leadership focusing on a particular health care issue or need. Nominations were evaluated on criteria including impact on health care within the community and how they fulfilled a need that might otherwise not have been met.

• Winner: Sunrise Community Health 
• Finalist: H2 Manufacturing 
• Finalist: Noelle Rodriguez 

Distinguished Service

Honors a health care administrator who has displayed leadership excellence within their organization during COVID-19. Nominees were evaluated on leadership provided during the pandemic, ensuring the safety of workers, quality care for patients and vaccinations for the community.

• Winner: Lauren Shimp, Columbine West Health & Rehab Facility 
• Finalist: Fred Pitzl, Good Samaritan Society Fort Collins Village 
• Finalist: SCL Health Good Samaritan Medical Center 

COVID-19 Front-Line Nurse

Honors a nurse who displayed excellence, dedication and perseverance in responding to challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nominees were evaluated on how the individual performed during the pandemic, going above and beyond their typical duties and responsibilities.

• Winner: Joel Bitler, Columbine Health Systems 
• Finalist: Cheryl Baum, New Mercer Commons ALF/Columbine Health Systems
• Finalist: Amy Provopulos, UCHealth Mountain Crest 

Health Care Innovator/Researcher

Honors an individual or organization for an innovation in medical technology or research. Priority was given to breakthroughs that contributed to testing, treatment, safety equipment or vaccines for COVID-19.

• Winner: Michael Lindsey, Thermal Strike Ranger 
• Finalist: UCHealth 
• Finalist: Banner Innovation Group 

COVID-19 Frontline Health Care Worker

Honors an individual who displayed excellence, dedication and perseverance in responding to challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, including physicians, EMTs, paramedics, and Emergency Department personnel and others. Nominees were evaluated on how the individual performed during the pandemic, going above and beyond their typical duties and responsibilities.

• Winner: Jennifer Hogestad, UCHealth 
• Finalist: Rebecca Jackson, Columbine Health Systems 
• Finalist: Mo Lyons, Banner Health 

Mental Health Care Provider of the Year

Recognizes a mental health care provider who has positively impacted his/her organization and/or patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nominees were evaluated on how the individual performed during the pandemic, going above and beyond their typical duties and responsibilities.

• Winner: Alicia Milar, SummitStone Health Partners 
• Finalist: Janina Fariñas, La Cocina 
• Finalist: Adena Kling, Longmont United Hospital Centura 

COVID-19 Health Care Ally Award

Honors an individual outside of traditional health care who excelled during the COVID-19 pandemic, including firefighters, members of law enforcement, and representatives of civic and nonprofit organizations. Nominees were evaluated on how the individual went beyond their normal duties to support health care workers and the overall community.

• Winner: Foothills Unitarian Church 
• Finalist: AMR 
• Finalist: UCHealth Northern Colorado Foundation

Skilled Nursing & Assisted Living Facility of the Year

Recognizes the top skilled nursing and assisted living facility or group in the region. Nominees were evaluated based on their response to the COVID-19 pandemic and how they prioritized patients’ physical, mental and emotional well-being.

• Winner: Good Samaritan Society Fort Collins Village 
• Finalist: Garden Square at Westlake Assisted Living 
• Finalist: Tamara Gebhardt, New Mercer Commons ALF/Columbine Health Systems 

COVID-19 Support Worker

Includes non-physician and non-nurse members of the multidisciplinary team, such as physician assistants, CNAs, respiratory therapists, pharmacists, medical imaging, researchers, technicians, etc. Nominees were evaluated on how the individual performed during the pandemic, going above and beyond their typical duties and responsibilities.

• Winner: Gloria Gonzalez-Engle, Boulder Community Health 
• Finalist: Jeremiah Martinez, Boulder Community Health – Sterile Processing Department Finalist: Marilyn Schaefer, UCHealth Greeley Hospital

Volunteer Award

Recognizes a non-paid volunteer for service in a health care organization. Nominees were evaluated on criteria including length of service, impact on the organization and how they fulfilled a need that might otherwise not have been met.

• Winner: Mark Meyer, Boulder Community Health 
• Finalist: Emily Kemme, UCHealth 
• Finalist: Fuerza Latina 

BizWest received more than 100 nominations for the Health Care Heroes program. Judges included Gene Haffner, Julie Johnson Haffner, Charlie Harms, George Hayes, Joel Montbriand and Ron Secrist, all veterans of the health care or nonprofit sectors.

Health Care Heroes was sponsored by Anthem BC/BS, H2 Manufacturing Solutions and The Weld Trust. A Health Care Coalition that included Boulder Community Health, Centura Health Avista Adventist Hospital, Columbine Health Systems, Good Samaritan Society Communities of Northern Colorado and SCL Health Good Samaritan Medical Center also contributed.

© 2021 BizWest Media LLC