2007 Medical Staff Recognition Awards
Drs. Patricia Ferrieri, Arthur Matas and Bruce Peterson were recognized with the fourth annual Medical Staff Recognition Awards for excellence in patient-based scholarship and research, clinical innovation and clinical care, respectively. They were honored at the annual medical center medical staff meeting Oct. 16. Each received a $5,000 prize from the medical staff. The three were selected from among those nominated by members of the Fairview and University of Minnesota Academic Health Center communities.
“Physicians’ commitment to patients’ well-being and excellent care here is unparalleled,” says Theodore Thompson, MD, medical center chief of staff. “Each year, the selection committee is faced with a very difficult task—and this year was no exception—as the caliber of our medical staff is truly incredible.”
Patient-based Scholarship & Research
Patricia Ferrieri, MD
Patricia Ferrieri, MD, was nominated for her significant work, from the laboratory to the bedside, where her research findings come to life to benefit patients. She is a professor in both laboratory medicine and pathology and pediatrics, in addition to serving as director of University of Minnesota Medical Center’s microbiology laboratory. Much of her work has focused on the development of vaccines against Group B Streptococci to prevent maternal-infant infections. Group B Strep is a leading cause of newborn sepsis, a condition that can lead to death. Ferrieri is widely sought after for her clinical and laboratory diagnostic abilities throughout Fairview and beyond and has a reputation nationally and internationally for her contributions to medicine. See the video .
Clinical Care
Bruce Peterson, MD
Bruce Peterson, MD, was honored for his genuine care and concern for his patients—those diagnosed with cancer who often face medical and emotional difficulties. Cited was his kindness for everyone he comes in contact with, from patients and their families to medical center staff and physicians. He was described as “an intelligent, thoughtful, kind, compassionate and conscientious physician,” one who gets to know each patient as a person, always taking the time to help people understand their situations and options. Also noted were Peterson’s strong mentoring skills with physicians and physicians-in-training. He is a professor in the Department of Medicine’s Division of Hematology/Oncology/Transplantation. See the video.
Innovation
Arthur Matas, MD
Arthur Matas, MD, was honored for his organ transplantation efforts, especially to increase the number of kidneys available for transplantation. He is internationally renowned as an innovator and leader in kidney transplantation, advocating for living organ donation, which has greatly increased the number of organs available for transplant. Matas and his colleagues played an important role in showing that living, unrelated-donor transplants have excellent results. Living unrelated donation is now done at the majority of the world’s kidney transplant programs. The University of Minnesota program, under his direction, was the first to develop a policy to accept nondirected donors, where the donor is completely unknown to the recipient. He has set the standard among transplant programs to ensure that living donors have extensive donor evaluation and care following donation. A professor of surgery at the University of Minnesota, Matas has been director of the Renal Transplant Service for nearly 20 years. See the video.
