Health Services Professional Advisory Committee Presents Awards

2004 Health Services Officer Responder of the Year - CAPT Michael Milner

CAPT Michael Milner distinguished himself in 2004 while serving as the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) Regional Health Administrator (RHA) for Region I (New England), during the year-long process associated with the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) involvement in the development and execution of an integrated, inter-governmental public health/medical emergency preparedness and response plan for the Democratic National Convention in Boston, MA.

Without his unique combination of willingness to learn, commitment to excellence, humility and team spirit, creativity and hard word, the HHS participation in this critical and high-profile event would have been significantly compromised, and with it, the safety and security of the New England region.

In addition, he served as the Secretary’s Emergency Response Team (SERT) Leader for nearly 3 weeks after Hurricane Charley, and again as Deputy SERT Leader for 8 days after Hurricane Jeanne. CAPT Milner saw the need for improvement of the public health infrastructure in the hardest hit counties after Hurricane Charley, and initiated a program to move mobile clinics in to replace destroyed community health centers in the area. Without his leadership, mosquito vector control in the most seriously affected counties would have been unnecessarily delayed. Because of his efforts, the consequences of a severe West Nile virus outbreak were averted. These accomplishments were acknowledged by the Governor of Florida and Florida’s Secretaries of Health and Elder Affairs in their after-action reports.

Despite the numerous deployments in support of the missions of the USPHS in 2004, CAPT Milner kept pace with his other major duties and responsibilities as RHA. He developed a cohesive emergency response plan using the newly created Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) units in his region. He promoted the expansion of this program by supporting their ongoing interactions and dialogue using RHA-supplied teleconferencing tools. He has also worked proactively with regional partners to develop training opportunities for MRC volunteers, including CPR and Basic Disaster Life Support courses. He is using other regional experts to promote MRC unit sustainability through leadership development training and community funding outreach efforts.

CAPT Milner has received the 2004 Health Services Officer Responder of the Year award for his extraordinary leadership, judgment, and commitment to, and impact on, the Nation’s emergency preparedness and response efforts.

CAPT Richard A. Hatch Receives the 2005 Stanley J. Kissel Jr. Award

CAPT Richard A. Hatch was awarded the 2005 Stanley J. Kissel Jr. Award for Outstanding Health Services Professional of the Year at the Commissioned Officers Association meeting in Philadelphia, PA. The recipient must have had an impact on the Nation’s health, exhibited leadership in the achievements being cited, and must serve as a role model for others. CAPT Hatch was selected for his sustained leadership of an exceptional nature, his recognized outstanding achievements, his highly visible and vital current responsibilities, and his future value to the Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service (Corps) as the Indian Health Service (IHS) Chief Optometry Clinical Consultant.

CAPT Hatch began his Corps career with IHS in 1974 as the Chief of Optometry at the Gallup Indian Medical Center and Crownpoint IHS Hospital. As one of the few eye care providers on the Navajo Area at the time, CAPT Hatch’s contributions ranged from treating the overwhelming problem of severe astigmatism which resulted in amblyopia to the elimination of trachoma, a blinding eye disease.

From 1977-1986, he left IHS to practice optometry in the private sector but his dedication to work with the underserved American Indian population persisted at the Salt Lake Indian Health Center for three of those years. CAPT Hatch’s dedication to provide eye care to American Indians resulted in his return to public service in the Navajo Area to work as an optometrist at the Chinle Comprehensive Health Care Facility in 1986. In 1988, he accepted the position as the Navajo Area Deputy Chief Clinical Consultant for Optometrists when he transferred to the Gallup Indian Medical Center. He later served as the Navajo Area Chief Clinical Consultant for Optometrists from 1990-2002.

CAPT Hatch’s contribution to IHS optometry has vastly improved the quality of eye care provided for the American Indians and Alaskan Natives. His active leadership has helped promote many positive changes, which enabled the IHS to recruit and retain high quality primary eye care providers. CAPT Hatch has initiated and oversees several eye-related programs which have enhanced the optometry program within IHS and native corporations. In 1993, CAPT Hatch was instrumental in the initiation of a joint eye care meeting of IHS optometrists and IHS ophthalmologists. This has evolved into a well attended Biennial Eye Care Meeting held in California. The Biennial Eye Care Meeting has provided outstanding continuing medical education stressing the more common eye conditions and eye diseases found in the IHS population as well as provided information and camaraderie among eye care providers located all over the United States. CAPT Hatch also provides mentorship and support to the 140 IHS optometrists which include Corps officers, tribal, civil service, and direct hire optometrists located in 77 facilities and 18 states. Through phone calls, e-mails, and newsletters he conducts regular communication with all IHS optometrists as well as maintains optometry staff development, recruitment, and retention activities. His outstanding contributions, clinical skills and leadership abilities have earned CAPT Hatch the respect of his patients and colleagues not only within IHS, but within tribal governments, academia, and national organizations. CAPT Hatch is routinely sought out for his expertise from outside IHS including the Food and Drug Administration, Federal Bureau of Prisons, the Office of Commissioned Corps Force Management, and the Office of Force Readiness and Deployment.

Examples of eye care programs he oversees are the IHS optometry residencies and optometry student clinical training programs. In the early 1990s, CAPT Hatch was instrumental in the formation of the first IHS Optometry Residency Program when he was able to secure funds from the Save the Children Foundation to form the first IHS Optometry Residency. Since its inception, 67 optometry residents have completed residencies at various IHS facilities.

Keeping pace with both the growing amount of care and the level of care, CAPT Hatch has established and contributes regularly to several eye care committees and appointed several optometrists to coordinate various issues and to represent IHS optometry in national organizations. The committees include: IHS Eye Care Diabetes Committee, IHS Vision Health Promotion Committee, IHS Optometry Professional Advisory Committee, IHS Optometry Loan Repayment Committee, IHS Optometry Performance Improvement Committee, and IHS Optometry Residency Directors Committee. He has appointed an IHS Optometry Coding and Billing Consultant, IHS Optometry Continuing Education Coordinator, IHS Optometry Clinical Training Programs Coordinator, IHS Optometry Webmaster, IHS Optometry Research Coordinator, and IHS Optometry Commissioned Corps Office of Force Readiness and Deployment Liaison. He has ensured IHS Optometry’s representation in national organizations such as the Association of Military Surgeons of the United States, American Academy of Optometry, American Public Health Association, Armed Forces Optometry Society, American Optometric Association, National Eye Institute, and Healthy People 2010 Initiative. Clearly, CAPT Hatch has improved IHS eye care. These committees were all initiated or restructured by CAPT Hatch to improve the overall eye care service to the IHS population in the Nation.

CAPT Hatch is a seasoned clinician, who continues to work at keeping up with new clinical knowledge and skills to best meet his patients’ needs. A common observation is that IHS clinicians deal routinely with conditions that others may see only in books or rarely in a career. From trauma to trachoma, severe astigmatism to amblyopia, diabetic retinopathy to retinal detachments, CAPT Richard Hatch has proven himself as an exceptionally competent and efficient clinician whether working with the most rudimentary or sophisticated facilities and staff support. To compliment his clinical achievements, he has very successfully supervised clinical staff, administered programs and made invaluable programmatic and professional contributions from health center to national levels. Not only has he improved the efficiency and efficacy of direct patient care in the Eye Care Department at Gallup Indian Medical Center (GIMC) but all the eye care departments in the IHS.

Because of his dedication and energy, he has improved the quality of eye health care delivery for the IHS and native corporations. His leadership, clinical skills, and professionalism enhanced the overall efficiency of many optometry programs and positively influenced other optometrists. CAPT Hatch’s continued outstanding work brings credit not only to the GIMC, but also to the IHS and native corporations in general. CAPT Hatch’s administrative skills and clinical skills have always been at levels that make him a model for other officers and clinicians throughout the IHS. As a result, CAPT Hatch is truly deserving of the 2005 Stanley J. Kissel Award.

LCDR Angela K. Shen Receives 2005 Joseph Garcia Jr. Award

LCDR Angela K. Shen received the 2005 Joseph Garcia Jr. Award for Outstanding Junior Health Services Officer of the Year at the Commissioned Officers Association (COA) meeting in Philadelphia, PA. This award goes to the Junior Health Services professional who has made a significant contribution to the advancement of the Nation’s public health, demonstrated leadership in his/her work, and shown involvement in health-related professional or community organizations or activities.

LCDR Shen was awarded the Joseph Garcia Jr. Award for the significant technical and professional contributions she has made as a reviewer in the Division of Manufacturing and Product Quality, Office of Compliance and Biologics Quality, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER), Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Her significant technical contributions to review duties and professionalism was exemplified by her dedication to duty when, at the request of Senator Kennedy’s office, she volunteered to lead the licensing inspection of a pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Tel Aviv, Israel, to make a novel fibrin sealant product available for use in the United States as a glue for use during organ surgery. The request for volunteers was issued due to the political climate in the region in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack, which included safety concerns for government personnel due to the recurring terrorist bombings in Israel. Another example of her extreme dedication to duty was exemplified in her excellence in completion of multiple assignments to expedite the provisioning of the National Pharmaceutical Stockpile with Smallpox Vaccine in response to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack, at the request of the Secretary of the Department Health and Human Services (HHS). FDA had a critical need for information relating to the development and production of a new generation of Smallpox Vaccine, and the assessment of the process development activities and manufacturing facilities was essential to ensure the material produced would be suitable for licensing. LCDR Shen was a key member of the team that performed accurate and timely assessments of facilities involved in the production of Smallpox Vaccine by Acambis, incorporated under the HHS contract.

LCDR Shen identified the opportunity to serve the national priorities for promoting global health issues and applied to the International Experience and Technical Assistance (IETA) program with supervisory support and encouragement. Under the IETA program, she was detailed to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s BOTUSA Project (Global AIDS Program) in international HIV/AIDS prevention (Botswana). She not only managed in excess of 5 million dollars in post-award cooperative agreements, but she performed a rapid needs assessment and identified a critical area of need with regard to BOTUSA Project’s flagship program supporting local HIV screening and counseling, the Tebelopele Voluntary Counseling and Testing Centers. She developed and implemented strategies and systems to track the utilization and inventories of HIV test kits to more efficiently utilize the medical testing supplies available in country. Her efforts established a procurement system including a secondary distributor of critical laboratory supplies with time sensitive shelf-life expiration dates. Prior to implementation of this program, materials were not being utilized efficiently with some material outdating prior to use. To implement her new program, she trained and developed the capacity with the local staff to maintain the program. In addition, she performed 12 site visits to local clinics and performed audits throughout the country to evaluate procedures, documentation practices, inventory controls, and clinical supply distribution practices.

LCDR Shen strives to be an example of an outstanding Public Health Service Commissioned Corps (Corps) officer. She is a natural leader and works to set an example to her fellow officers and colleagues both in the immediate workplace and through her extensive contributions on Corps committees. As one of the leaders of the Public Health Service Music Ensemble, she has worked to develop and built an infrastructure to accommodate the exponential growth of musicians to over 100 active participating officers located in three distinct areas of the country (Atlanta, North Carolina, DC Metro area) as well as a cadre of field musicians (throughout the country from Alaska and Arizona to South Carolina). In planning, organizing, and leading this group, she also performs in over 15 performances a year on behalf of the Office of the Surgeon General (OSG) including a feature concert held at COA annually. Without LCDR Shen’s work, the infrastructure of an informal group of vocalists and musicians would not be able to accommodate the burgeoning increase in interest in the Public Health Service Music Ensemble. Her talents musically as well as organizationally are impeccable.

Further, LCDR Shen has been instrumental in moving the Asian Pacific American Officers Committee (APAOC) forward in their mission as she is the Chair of the Strategic Planning Subcommittee as well as the liaison to the Minority Officers Liaison Council. As a voting member of APAOC, she has spearheaded a leadership group to revitalize the mission of minorities in the Corps and to enhance and promote leadership, visibility, and opportunities for minorities in the Corps. By strategically working to redefine the group’s mission (in line with OSG) and by clearly identifying goals with reachable objectives, LCDR Shen is continuously working toward achieving significant accomplishments for not only for individuals and the Corps, but for the community at large.

In community service, LCDR Shen strives to teach at least one CPR-AED/First Aid course for the American Red Cross each quarter and is on call for the organization’s Disaster Action Team. This complements her role as the Secretary’s Emergency Response Team (SERT) Liaison Officer for HHS. When called to action on behalf of her Operating Division (FDA/CBER), Department, or community, LCDR Shen is open and receptive to participate whenever possible and has deployed to assist in disasters even outside the onus of the Office of Force Readiness and Deployment. In her ambitious career development, LCDR Shen is working toward her doctorate in Public Health (Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine) and is constantly challenging herself to perform as a model officer. She has been chosen by OSG to participate in a recruitment video titled Profiles in Public Health and is an ideal officer to feature.

Her desire to develop her scientific knowledge and expertise in public health practice is evidenced in her work output, professional development, and academic pursuits. LCDR Shen is an asset to FDA/CBER and the Corps. Her extensive contributions to both national and international health priorities of the United States merit her recognition with the 2005 Joseph Garcia Jr. Award.

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