The Distinguished Health Care Advocate Award was established by the Kansas Hospital Association Board in 2006. The award recognizes those individuals, organizations or groups who provide an exemplary contribution to the health and well-being of the people of Kansas through their leadership in public, political or policy areas.
At any level of the public spectrum, these individuals, organizations or groups are unique. Their outstanding commitment to assure the availability of health care, as well as the improvement of the health care environment makes access, quality and affordable health care a reality in Kansas.
Purpose of the Award
The Distinguished Health Care Advocate Award honors individuals, organizations or groups that have demonstrated their commitment through participation in the public domain. This award provides members of KHA the opportunity to recognize those who work on our behalf from outside our ranks.
Criteria
The award will be given based on the nominee's work in the following areas: leadership; commitment; partnership; breadth and depth of efforts; and impact.
The Process
Nominations are submitted online. Nominations are reviewed by a committee of peers in the hospital/health care industry. The committee may recommend multiple or no awards be given. The committee’s recommendation is presented to the Executive Committee of the KHA Board of Directors for approval.
Award Presentation and Recognition
In recognition for distinguished service and outstanding contributions to the health care of Kansans, the awardee(s) will be honored by: receipt of the Distinguished Health Care Award; recognition at the Kansas Hospital Association Annual Convention; coverage in KHA publications and on the KHA Web site; and media announcements of the award.
Deadline
Nominations will be accepted online until 11:59 p.m. on June 1. For additional information, call KHA at (785) 233-7436.
Key Dates
- April – Call for nominations
- June 1 – Nominations are due
- June – Nominations reviewed by the committee
- July – Recommendation presented to the Executive Committee for approval.
- September – Awardee(s) honored at KHA Annual Convention.
Materials to Be Submitted
All nominations must be submitted electronically.
Questions on the online nomination form:
- In a brief description (250 words or less), please address the nominee’s work in the following area: Leadership: How does the nominee take a proactive role in promoting public policies that address the improvement of health and health care in Kansas?
- In a brief description (250 words or less), please address the nominee’s work in the following area: Commitment: How is the nominee involved, on an ongoing basis, in the community, state and/or national level as an advocate for health and health care access, quality and affordability.
- In a brief description (250 words or less), please address the nominee’s work in the following area: Partnership: Share an example of how the nominee works closely with their local, state and/or national health care communities to forge relationships.
- In a brief description (250 words or less), please address the nominee’s work in the following area: Breadth and depth of efforts: Share an example of how the nominee promotes an array of policy and initiatives to improve health and health care access, quality and affordability.
- In a brief description (250 words or less), please address the nominee’s work in the following area: Impact: How has the nominee’s work proven effective in improving health and health care access, quality and affordability?
We would suggest filling out answers to these questions in advance and then pasting them into the online form. If you have any difficulty with the online form, contact Jan Fenwick at jfenwick@kha-net.org.
Previous Winners
- Senator Carolyn McGinn, 2024
- Ed Klumpp. 2023
- STAND Youth, 2022
- Jon Rolph, 2021
- Lee A. Norman, MD, 2020
- Lieutenant Governor Lynn W. Rogers, 2019
- Representative Kathy Wolfe Moore, 2019
- Senator Vicki Schmidt, 2018
- Representative Susan Concannon, 2017
- Marcillene Dover, 2016
- Eldon Schumacher, Great Plains Health Alliance, Wichita, 2015
- Kansas Insurance Commissioner Sandy Praeger, 2013
- Senator Susan Wagle, 2012
- Senator Pat Roberts, 2007
- Congressman Jerry Moran, 2006