Dr. Jeffrey Smale, pulmonologist, and Heather Stack, physician assistant, have been honored with the third annual Excellence in Medicine Award from Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin St. Joseph’s Hospital.
Physicians and nurses at St. Joseph’s Hospital were invited to nominate one of their peers for the award, which recognizes the accomplishments of an individual physician or advanced practitioner at St. Joseph’s Hospital.
Nominees were evaluated based on upholding clinical practice standards, leadership, innovation, volunteerism to improve health care in a local community, the ability to communicate with colleagues and staff, and how the nominee supports the hospital’s mission, vision and values.
“In all the time that I have known Jeff, he has always been cheerful and easy to talk to,” said nominator Chuck Herdeman, clinical pharmacist in the St. Joseph’s Hospital Kraemer Cancer Care Center.
“He listens extremely well, and is willing to consider suggestions pertaining to patient care from pharmacists, nurses, social workers, therapists and the patient’s family. I feel that he is looked up to by all of his physician peers, and certainly so by all of the employees of the hospital.”
After he cared for a patient whose life was saved by a Boy Scout, Dr. Smale wrote a letter in support of the Scout, who received a National Heroism Award for helping save the patient’s life. “This ‘going the extra mile’ to write a letter for the Boy Scouts of America Investigative Committee was another example of Jeff’s thoughtfulness and involvement with the community,” said Chuck.
Dr. Smale chaired the Medical Staff Performance Improvement Committee and has served as the chief of the medical staff, served on the Credentials Committee, and served on the Medical Executive Committee.
He was the chief physician champion for what is now the St. Joseph’s Hospital Pharmacy, Nutrition and Therapeutics Committee, served as the pulmonologist member of the Pneumonia Task Force, was the physician leader of the Core Measures Committee, and was one of the driving forces behind the creation of the hospitalist positions in the hospital.
“Heather has consistently gone above and beyond in patient care since starting practice several years ago,” said nominator Dr. Mark Bosbous, plastic surgeon. “She has excellent communication, is consistently praised by patients and staff for her work ethic, compassion in patient care and willingness to pitch in, as well as goes above and beyond the call of duty. She is an integral part of our plastic surgery quality program and continually looks for ways to advance her skills — for example becoming a certified Botox and filler injector.”
Heather serves as mentor and runs a physician assistant rotation in plastic surgery for the Concordia University Physician Assistant Program and gives a lecture each year on plastic surgery to the class. She served on the Quality Committee for the Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin health care network, and on the PA Compensation sub-committee.