MHS External Awards Program

Overview

The Military Health System external awards program recognizes exceptional individuals and programs operating in the MHS, and enhances the MHS’s reputation and visibility within the health-care field. By applying for awards offered by external, sponsoring organizations, these notable individuals and programs are commended not only by the MHS community, but by the greater population. The external awards program seeks to unify nomination efforts under the umbrella of the MHS, in order to effectively promote MHS winners and program wins.

The MHS External Awards Program has identified approximately 250 national, regional and local awards from more than 75 organizations focusing on health care, education, training, research and communications. These awards are diverse in nature and apply to individual leadership achievements, advancements in the fields of research and medicine, and communications products.

Click here to download a copy of the awards list (Excel spreadsheet)

Click here to download a Fact Sheet about the MHS External Awards Program (Word doc)

External Awards Committee

To support program efforts and ensure equality in the nomination process, the MHS has established an external awards committee. The committee will identify individuals and programs within their organization that deserve to be nominated for external awards. The committee is comprised of members from the following internal and external MHS organizations:

TRICARE Management Activity
Force Health Protection and Readiness
Clinical and Program Policy
Chief Human Capital Office
Health Budgets and Financial Policy
Uniformed Services University
Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury
Surgeon General of the Army
Surgeon General of the Navy
Surgeon General of the Air Force
Medical Officer of the Marine Corps
U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command
Navy Medical Research Center
Air Force Research Laboratory

Award Wins Within the MHS

	Maj. (Dr.) Vikhyat Bebarta Congratulations to Maj. (Dr.) Vikhyat Bebarta, recipient of the Society of Academic Emergency Medicine Best Basic Science Research Award. (Bebarta is pictured left)
	Lt. Col. Jose Andujar Congratulations to Lt. Col. Jose Andujar, deputy chief of staff of operations, U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command, recipient of the 2009 League of United Latin American Citizens "Excellence in Military Service Award" for the Army.
	Heidi King Congratulations to Heidi King, acting director of the Defense Department’s Patient Safety Program, for winning the 2009 Chairman’s Medal from the National Patient Safety Foundation.
	Col. (Dr.) Gray Heppner Congratulations to Col. (Dr.) Gray Heppner, deputy commander, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, who was recently awarded the 2009 Kiwanis International World Service Medal.
	Michael Dominguez Michael Dominguez, former principal deputy under secretary of defense for personnel and readiness, is a finalist for the Stevie Awards- Turnaround Executive of the Year.
	Vice Adm. John Mateczun Vice Adm. John Mateczun, commander, Joint Task Force National Capital Region Medical, was awarded the American Medical Association’s Outstanding Member of the Executive Branch of Career Military Service.

More Award Wins

Government Computer News Agency (GCN) 2011 IT Project Award

The Defense Health Service Systems' TRICARE Online (TOL) Blue Button program has been selected by GCN as one of 10 award winners for "Outstanding Information Technology Achievement in Government" in 2011. TOL was chosen from over 200 nominations. The award criteria are based on: innovation, technology leadership, the degree to which a given IT project improves an agency's ability to operate more efficiently or serve the public more effectively.

2010 eHealthcare Leadership "Best Web 2.0" Award

The Military Health System was the recipient of a 2010 eHealthcare Leadership "Best Web 2.0" award for the use of rich media and social networking. The award recognizes the use of video, podcasts and social networking such as blogs, Facebook, Twitter and chats.

Army Acquisition Excellence Award and the Maj. Jonathan Letterman Award for Medical Excellence

The Army’s Medical Communications for Combat Casualty Care (MC4) program earned two awards—an Army Acquisition Excellence Award and the Maj. Jonathan Letterman Award for Medical Excellence. The program was honored for improving and expanding the use of electronic medical records on the battlefield and to garrison battalion aid stations.

2009 Health Information Systems Using Government Open Source Technology Award

Col. Chris Harrington, deputy program manager of the Medical Logistics Directorate of the Defense Health Services Systems program office, and the Defense Medical Logistics Standard Support (DMLSS) project team, were the recipients of the 2009 Health Information Systems Using Government Open Source Technology Award for their role in effectively integrating Open Source Software (OSS) into the DMLSS application.

Center for Health Design Changemaker of the Year

Former DeWitt Commander Col. (Ret.) Eileen Malone was recognized by the Center for Health Design as its “Changemaker of the Year.”

Filipina Women’s Network 100 Most Influential Filipino Women in the United States Award

Navy Capt. Raquel Bono, chief of staff for the deputy director of the TRICARE Management Activity, has been selected as one of 2009’s “100 Most Influential Filipino Women in the United States” by the Filipina Women’s Network. The award recognizes Bono as an emerging leader displaying high energy and skill in a leadership role at a government agency.

American Academy of Ophthalmology Distinguished Service Award

The American Academy of Ophthalmology has selected "Military Ophthalmologists" as the recipients of its 2009 Distinguished Service Award.
Col. Donald Gagliano, director of DoD's Vision Center of Excellence, accepted the award on behalf of all military ophthalmologists.