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Annual Awards

Each year, the Association of Air Medical Services recognizes excellence and leadership
in emergency medical transport through a variety of notable national awards.

Community Awards
Nominations are now closed.
Please join us on October 20th
at the AAMS Awards Banquet for
the annoucement of the winners!

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Vision Zero Aviation Safety Award


Public Service Award

 Excellence in Community Service Award


AAMS Community Awards

Questions?
AAMS Community Awards
Attn: Melissa Kraft, mkraft@aams.org
526 King Street, Suite 415, Alexandria, VA 22314
VIA FAX: (703) 836-8920

The PROGRAM OF THE YEAR AWARD recognizes an emergency medical program (national or international) that has demonstrated a superior level of patient care, management prowess, quality leadership through visionary and innovative approaches, customer service, safety consciousness, marketing ingenuity, community service and/or commitment to the medical transport community as a whole.

ELIGIBILITY:  The program must have been in operation for at least 5 years in the emergency medical transport community (rotor wing, fixed wing, and/or critical care ground), accident free for the last 12 months, and a current Regular Member of AAMS.

JUDGING CRITERIA:  Number of years in operation, how the program has worked to be fiscally sound, accident-free for 12 months, customer-service indicators, QA benchmarks, improvements in reimbursement criteria/revenue generation, and winner or applicant of other awards. CAMTS certification is highly recommended, but not required.


View Children's Mercy Critical Care Transport video! 
 

2007 Program of the Year
Children's Mercy Critical Care Transport
Kansas City, MO
Sponsored by American Eurocopter

For more than 36 years, Children’s Mercy has provided top notch, dedicated neonatal and pediatric transport service to both Missouri and Kansas. They have been CAMTS accredited for 10 years and have experienced an annual growth rate of 17% in the number of transports completed in the last several years.


The MARRIOTT-CARLSON AWARD recognizes an individual who has made significant contributions to the overall enhancement, development, leadership or promotion of the emergency medical transport community and has been actively involved or participated in an emergency medical transport organization.

ELIGIBILITY:  Medical, aviation, communication, management or support personnel (operators, equipment companies, etc.) who are actively involved in the emergency medical transport community and are a member of AAMS or employed by an AAMS Member.

JUDGING CRITERIA: Impact on or contribution to the industry, involvement in community organizations including leadership positions, the number of years of membership in community organizations, encouragement of others to join community organizations, and encouragement of others to promote the emergency medical transport community.
  


View Dr. Rogers' video!

2007 Marriott-Carlson Award
Dr. Ralph Rogers, MD
Aero Med Spectrum Health
Grand Rapids, MI
Sponsored by Bell Helicopter

Dr. Ralph Rogers had a vision of what he wanted emergency medical air transportation to look like in western Michigan and now, 30 years after beginning his career, he continues to cultivate that vision at AeroMed Spectrum Heath. Under Ralph’s leadership, AeroMed just celebrated its 20th anniversary as an accident free program, successfully transporting more than 12,000 patients. 


The BARBARA A. HESS AWARD recognizes an individual who has significantly contributed to the enhancement, development and/or promotion of the emergency medical industry through his/her research and/or educational efforts.

ELIGIBILITY:  Medical, aviation or support personnel who have published, conducted research or provided quality education or educational expertise which has contributed to the emergency medical transport community on a local, regional, national or international level.  The candidate must be employed by a member of AAMS (either Regular, Affiliate or Associate) or be a Personal Member of AAMS.

JUDGING CRITERIA:  Number of articles, chapters or books published, number of research abstracts/papers presented, number of lectures given, membership and participation in industry associations.

2007 Barbara A. Hess Award
Christopher Manacci
The National Flight Nurse Academy
Cleveland, Ohio
Sponsored by Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation

Chris' commitment to enhancing the educational experience for flight nurses has been evident not only by the amount of time that he gives as a teacher and role model, but also by the substantial funds he has raised for the advancement of the profession.

View Christopher's video!


The JIM CHARLSON AWARD recognizes an individual who has made significant contributions to the overall enhancement, development or promotion of aviation and aviation safety within the air medical transport community.

ELIGIBILITY:  Anyone directly involved in the medical transport community who has made a contribution which
enhanced the safety of a program, mission, or the medical transport community as a whole.

JUDGING CRITERIA:  Demonstration that "Safety comes first, aviation expertise, membership and participation
in community associations.


View Ed's video!

2007 Jim Charlson Award
Ed MacDonald
PHI Air Medical Group
Sante Fe, NM
Sponsored by American Eurocopter

To see a tangible testimony of Ed’s commitment to a safety culture, one need only to drop by the Air Medical Resource Management classes he teaches to so many transport programs around the country, or read any of his numerous position papers or nationally recognized and published recommended practices. 


The MEDICAL CREW/CREW MEMBER OF THE YEAR AWARD recognizes an individual/team that has made significant contributions to enhance the development or promote the improvement of patient care in the emergency medical transport community.

ELIGIBILITY:  Medical, aviation, communication, management or support personnel who are directly involved with the care and transportation of the sick and/or injured through an AAMS member program.  This may be awarded for an overall patient care contribution or a particular transport situation/outcome.

JUDGING CRITERIA: Promotion or enhancement of patient care while maintaining safe and proper transport procedures (not putting themselves, any other crew members, or the patient at any risk), clinical expertise, and participation in community associations.

2007 Medical Crew Member
of the Year Award
Paul Mazurek
Survival Flight
Ann Arbor, MI 
Sponsored by American Eurocopter

Besides being an amazing addition to the education department, Paul’s clinical expertise set him apart as a highly valued and compassionate medical team member.  Whether called upon to transport a twenty week old preemie or a ninety year old man, his team says they can always count on him to deliver excellent care.
In short, Go Blue, Go Paul!

View Paul's video!


The TRANSPORT MECHANIC’S AWARD OF EXCELLENCE recognizes an individual who has made significant contributions to the safe operation of medical transport vehicles or the improvement of safe maintenance procedures of medical transport vehicles.

ELIGIBILITY:  Individuals who are directly involved with the maintenance operations of vehicles used by members of AAMS.

JUDGING CRITERIA:   Number of years in the position, how the individual has added value to the program through education of the crew, what improvements the individual has made, how the individual relates to the staff and community, and staff testimonials.  This individual must have made a direct impact on the safety of a transport vehicle or implemented a safety program or procedure that enhances the welfare of the medical team and patients in transport.


View Wendell's video!

2007 Transport Mechanic’s
Award of Excellence
Wendell Stadig
LifeFlight of Maine
Bangor, ME
Sponsored by AgustaWestland


Wendell serves his community with superior leadership and an absolute commitment to safety in every detail of the day to day operations at LifeFlight of Maine.  As his team will tell you, an aircraft is only ready to fly if Wendell would be willing to put his children on board. 


The FIXED WING AWARD OF EXCELLENCE recognizes an individual/team that has made significant contributions to enhance the development or promote the improvement of patient care and/or safety, specifically in the fixed wing component of the air medical transport community.

ELIGIBILITY:  Medical, aviation, communication or support personnel who are involved with the safe and professional care and transportation of the sick and/or injured as a member or employee of a member in an AAMS fixed wing program. This may be awarded for an overall patient care contribution or a particular transport situation/outcome.

JUDGING CRITERIA:  Promotion or enhancement of patient care by maintaining and or enhancing safe and proper transport procedures (not putting themselves, any other crew members, or the patient at any risk), professional expertise, and participation in industry associations.

2007 Fixed Wing Award of Excellence
Becky Pusateri
AeroCare Medical Transport System, Inc.
Sugar Grove, IL
Sponsored by LifePort, Inc.

Becky has a hand in almost every crucial decision regarding growth and direction for AeroCare. Her professional opinion and business savvy are highly valued by both the administration she works for and the crew she works with.  Becky is able to offer a unique combination of insights, using her solid business management experience and meshing it with a clear understanding of what is medically right for the patient.  As one co-worker explained, “Becky is a true gift because she has experience and competency on both sides of the house.”

View Becky's video!

 

The CRITICAL CARE GROUND AWARD OF EXCELLENCE recognizes an individual or team that has made an outstanding contribution in a dedicated Critical Care Ground program in any of the following areas: enhancing safety, education, leadership, patient advocacy by developing or promoting improvement of patient care in the medical transport community.

ELIGIBILITY:  Medical, administrative, communication or support personnel who are involved with the care and transport of the sick and/or injured through a dedicated Critical Care Ground program/service.  The CCG Award of Excellence may be awarded for an overall patient care contribution or a particular transport situation/outcome. Candidates must be AAMS members or be employed by members of AAMS.

JUDGING CRITERIA:  Promotion or enhancement of safe and proper transport procedures (not putting themselves, any other crew members, or the patient at any risk) and/or enhancement of overall conditions under which transport occurs.  The improvement of patient care while maintaining professional expertise, and participation in industry associations.


View Children's Hospital video!

2007 Critical Care Ground Award of Excellence
Children's Hospital
Columbus, OH
Sponsored by MedBill Resources Corp.

Children’s Hospital Neonatal and Pediatric Transport Team in Columbus, Ohio was established in 1975 to transport neonates from maternity hospitals to Children’s Hospital with the help of the Ohio National Guard. Needless to say they’ve grown exponentially since the initial four patients who were transferred in that first year! Transporting more than 1700 patients a year, Children’s now has a comprehensive team of more than 40 individuals with access to 4 mobile ICUs.


The PROGRAM DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR AWARD recognizes an emergency medical program director who has demonstrated a superior level of knowledge and management prowess, quality leadership through visionary and innovative approaches, customer service, safety consciousness, marketing ingenuity, community service and/or commitment to the emergency medical community as a whole.

ELIGIBILITY:  The program director must be employed by an AAMS voting member program and must have held
this current position for at least two years.

JUDGING CRITERIA: Number of years in the position, how the program director has made the program fiscally sound, how the individual has expanded the role or scope of the program, what improvements the individual has made, how the individual relates to the staff and community, and staff testimonials.

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2007 Program Director of the Year Award
Joe Cook
CALSTAR
McClellan, CA
Sponsored by Bell Helicopter

Joe is a rock in an industry that has experienced great turbulence over the past 2 decades.  He has taken CALSTAR from one vehicle to 12 and has done so while earning the passionate loyalty of his crew and community.


EXCELLENCE IN COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD      Sponsored by Image 

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Meet the 2008 AAMS Excellence in Community Service Award Winner - AirMed IT Department for their service www.weatherturndown.com .
The air medical transport community has known for years that a centralized source for weather information sharing would be crucial for improving operational safety. AirMed IT, under the direction of Robert Carver, Chief Information Officer, created a website, weatherturndown.com, to meet this need. The website is designed for use by all air medical programs, including rotor and fixed-wing, and allows programs to share information regarding delays or cancellations due to weather. For more information on this free, revolutionary service, please visit www.weatherturndown.com.

The AAMS Excellence in Community Service Award recognizes an emergency medical transport individual OR organization(s) demonstrating broad-based continuing commitment to their referring/receiving agencies and/or the communities they serve.  The award recipient will exhibit an outstanding history of leadership or substantial involvement/partnership in customer or community based project(s) that contribute to the quality of life within the communities they serve.  Although eligibility requires membership with the Association of Air Medical Services, the recipient is NOT LIMITED to practices solely in air or ground medicine. This recipient will have shown professional and personal values that typify the ideals of "giving of oneself", and "making a difference in/or enhancing the lives of others.”

The winner of the Excellence in Community Service Award receives airfare, hotel accommodations, and conference registration to the AAMS Spring Conference. If an organization(s) wins the award, one individual will be determined by the winning organization(s) to receive the airfare, hotel accommodations and Spring Conference registration. 


PUBLIC SERVICE AWARD
Sponsored by  Air Methods Corporation
Traditionally given at the Congressional Luncheon at the AAMS Spring Conference, this award recognizes a legislator, government official, organization, or individual that has made significant contributions to the health, viability, or interests of the medical transport community.

Congratulations to 2008 Public Service award winner, Hooper Harris, Manager of the FAA’s Accident Investigations Division and former manager of the FAA’s AFS-250 branch.
Hooper’s tireless efforts as the leader of the Helicopter EMS (HEMS) Safety Task Force have helped the air medical community identify and address safety issues that have led to a significant decrease in HEMS accidents. Hooper continues these efforts as the co-chair of the Joint Helicopter Safety Implementation Team (JHSIT) of the IHST, expanding his aviation and accident prevention expertise to the entire Helicopter community, and continuing to address issues in the air medical community and beyond.

 

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Aviation Safety Award

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 Congratulations to PHI Air Medical, the 1st ever winner of the American Eurocopter Vision Zero Award!

What have you done to raise the bar for safety? 
Tell us how you have worked to achieve a high level of safety.  If you are the Vision Zero Aviation Safety Award winner, American Eurocopter will contribute up to $10,000 toward your future efforts of promoting safety within your program.

See you at AMTC 2008 when we will announce another deserving winner!