Indiana Hospital Association Recognizes Outstanding Individuals in Health Care

INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Hospital Association (IHA) today honored eight individuals for excellence in health care at its 2021 Annual Meeting, which was held virtually.

The award descriptions and their recipients are as follows:

​John C. Render Award for Health Policy

The John C. Render Award for Health Policy was created in 2011 and is presented to individuals who have had a significant influence on health care policy affecting Indiana hospitals. Render has had an enormous impact on health care, having dedicated his career to improving the lives of Hoosiers by advocating and educating on behalf of IHA's member hospitals.

This year's recipient was former Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) Secretary Dr. Jennifer Sullivan.

​Douglas J. Leonard Indiana Caregiver of the Year Award

The Douglas J. Leonard Indiana Caregiver of the Year Award recognizes an individual in the health care industry whose performance in the delivery of care is considered exemplary by patients and peers. This year, due to several outstanding nominations, IHA recognized four caregivers, including:

• Judy Brohm, RN, CCRN, Nurse Manager of RN Residency program and Sepsis Coordinator at Clark Memorial Health in Jeffersonville, IN
• Michelle Charles, VP, Nursing Informatics at Parkview Health in Fort Wayne, IN
• Raymond Lee Kiser, M.D., MBA, Acute Care Hospitalist and Nephrologist/Medical Director of Hospital Care Physicians at Columbus Regional Health in Columbus, IN​
• Ram Yeleti, M.D., Chief Physician Executive at Community Health Network, Indianapolis, IN​

Distinguished Service Award

The Distinguished Service Award recognizes the outstanding contributions of Indiana chief executive officers to their communities, their profession, and to the health care field.  

This year's recipient was Kurt Carlson, President/CEO at The Otis R. Bowen Center for Human Services in Warsaw, IN.

Award of Merit

The Award of Merit recognizes outstanding personal achievement in support of the humanitarian and management goals of Indiana health care institutions.

This year's recipient was John Pidgeon, Chairman of the Board at Henry Community Health in New Castle, IN

Administrative Professional Excellence Award

The Administrative Professional Excellence Award honors excellence in administrative professional service. It honors the legacy of Mikell Rose Brown, who set high standards of service to Hoosier hospitals as an IHA administrative assistant for 25 years.

This year's recipient is Ann Hazelwood, Executive Secretary at Margaret Mary Health in Batesville, IN

“It's an honor to recognize each one of these hard-working recipients, who are most deserving of today's recognition," said IHA President Brian Tabor. “This year has been one of the most difficult as we've learned to navigate through a global pandemic. COVID-19 affected everyone in health care, from frontline workers to administrative staff, to our patients and their families. I am sincerely grateful for the time and service these individuals have dedicated to the health care profession and to the entire state of Indiana."​