Alumni Connection Volume XXVII, No. 3 Four Physicians Honored At Alumni Awards Night Doctors Gene Barnett, Kathleen Franco, Lee Adler and James Lewis were recognized for their remarkable achievements in medicine and significant contributions to Cleveland Clinic at the Cleveland Clinic Alumni Association’s Annual Awards Night in September. “Each individual has established his or her own special place in such diverse medical fields as neuro-oncology, Weathering psychiatry, osteopathy and nephrology,” the Storm said Conrad H. Simpfendorfer, MD, FACS, (S’04, MIS’05, S/HEP’06), Alumni Ella Delgado enjoys some play Association President and event host. time while her father and others “But what they all share is an unquenchable Gene Barnett (center), MD, receives the Alumni tend to patients and facilities thirst for knowledge and a capacity for Association’s Distinguished Alumnus Award at at Cleveland Clinic Florida in ceremonies recently in Cleveland. Presenting constant growth.” Weston during Hurricane Irma the honor are Conrad H. Simpfendorfer, MD, in September. Families of those The Distinguished Alumnus Award Association President, and Susan J. Rehm, employees who were working was presented to Gene H. Barnett, MD, Association Immediate Past President. extended hours at the hospital MBA (GS’81, NS’86), a neuro-oncologist due to the storm were invited widely known for his innovations and This award goes to a recipient who to join them. Ella is the daughter has brought pride and recognition to of Ozzie Delgado, Chief Operating groundbreaking approaches to brain Officer at Weston. surgery. He holds the Rose Ella Burkhardt Cleveland Clinic through achievements See story page 2. Chair in Neurosurgery. in medicine, academics, business or Dr. Barnett, Director of the Brain community service. Tumor and Neuro-Oncology Center, joined Dr. Barnett said he was “humbled” FOR CCLCM Cleveland Clinic in 1987. He’s a leader in to receive his alumni award and credited GRADUATION COVERAGE, the field of computer-assisted surgery and the teamwork within Cleveland Clinic for SEE PAGES 9–11 holds several patents related to technology his successes. in neurosurgery. Continued on page 2 ISSUE 3, 2017 :: IN THIS ISSUE: LOOKING BACK AT NAMED BUILDINGS [14] PATIENTS’ PERSONAL STORIES [16–17] Awards Night Lee M. Adler, DO, receives the Alumni Service Continued from page 1 Award at a ceremony in September for his dedication to the growth and advancement of This year’s Special Achievement Award went to Kathleen Cleveland Clinic and its Alumni Association. Franco, MD (CCF’92), psychiatrist and Associate Dean of Admissions and Student Affairs at Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine. The Special Achievement Award is presented to individuals who have been dedicated to the growth and advancement of Kathleen Franco, MD, received the Special Achievement Award for her many years of Cleveland Clinic through exceptional commitment and service service to Cleveland Clinic in a variety of over many years. Dr. Franco was honored for her wide and varied leadership roles. achievements and leadership positions at Cleveland Clinic throughout her lengthy career here. Dr. Franco is a member of both Cleveland Clinic’s Board of Governors and its Board of Trustees. An Alumni Service Award went to Lee M. Adler, DO (IM’75), James W. Lewis, MD, a past President of and James W. Lewis, MD (IM’70, H/N’71, RES’74), who have the Alumni Association, was awarded the dedicated themselves to the growth and advancement of Alumni Association’s Service Award for his Cleveland Clinic and its Alumni Association. Dr. Adler served on contributions to Cleveland Clinic and the association over many years. the Alumni Board of Directors for many years, as did Dr. Lewis, who also once served as President of the organization. Dr. Adler has had a long and distinguished career in both academic and community medicine. He now is in what he calls “active retirement,” busy with volunteerism and consultancy. however modest – to help assure Cleveland Clinic’s future.” But he says that a fundamental goal still is to see Cleveland Dr. Lewis was praised for being the best combination of Clinic continue as a world-class resource for treatment, a personable practitioner and competent clinician who was research and education, and toward that end, he has made way ahead of his time both in putting patients first and in significant financial contributions to the institution. recognizing that “listening is learning” when it comes to good “If I can help to pay back an organization to which I owe so patient communication. much, I want to do that,” Dr. Adler told Alumni Connection. “And, He was the President of the Alumni Association from 2002 in these times, where an institution’s sources of income don’t to 2004 and served afterward as the Nephrology/Hypertension always cover expenses, I want my philanthropic contributions – Alumni Specialty Director for the Association. WESTON CAREGIVERS RIDE OUT THE STORM WITH THEIR FAMILIES When an emergency strikes at Cleveland Clinic Florida in slept on an air mattress in her office. Weston, the Alpha Team goes to work. What was different about this event was that caregivers That was the case in early September, when Hurricane were allowed to bring their families to work with them. And Irma blew through Florida with exceedingly strong winds many did just that. and rain that damaged homes, downed trees, flooded yards A lot of pre-planning went in to organizing activities for and roadways and spawned more than a few twisters. children, including game playing, coloring, writing touching Some 363 nonexempt and 58 exempt Weston employees cards to patients, and much more. A staff member’s Great – members of Alpha Team – came to the hospital to care for Dane was there, standing cooperatively next to a sign that patients and anyone else who was injured or needed care. read “Pony Rides.” They all knew they were in for a long, stormy stretch. “I think it was a comforting feeling for our people to Some employees ate and slept at the hospital as they have their family members on hand as they worked so hard worked 72 hours straight, from the evening of Friday, over so many long hours,” Ms. Puntel says. ”It created a Sept. 8, through noon on Monday, Sept. 10. Human happy atmosphere during a bad storm, and we all got Resources Senior Director Jackie Puntel, for instance, through it OK.” 2 ALUMNI CONNECTION :: Issue 3, 2017 clevelandclinic.org/alumni Alumni Association Awards DR. TOMISLAV Recognize Two for MIHALJEVIC BECOMES Outstanding Performance CLEVELAND CLINIC In the spring, Dr. Robert Naples about cardiothoracic surgery. During CEO AND PRESIDENT (PGY-2, General Surgery) received the clinical years of medical school, the Cleveland Clinic Alumni he trained at Cleveland Clinic South ON JAN. 1 Association’s Graduate Level 1 Pointe and developed an interest in Achievement Award at an event endocrine surgery. marking the 30th year of the awards. Dr. Naples was nominated by Tomislav They recognize talented future six of his colleagues, including Mihaljevic, MD Cleveland Clinic-trained physicians Tracy Hull, MD, staff surgeon in (CCF’04), has been and scientists. the Digestive Disease & Surgery selected as the next Institute’s Department of Colon CEO and President and Rectal Surgery. She said that Dr. of Cleveland Clinic, Naples demonstrated an unusual following Toby level of excellence in patient care, Cosgrove, MD. team leadership and surgical skill. He will assume Dr. Vishal Vashistha (IM’17), his duties on New an internal medicine resident Year’s Day 2018. Tomislav Mihaljevic, MD at Cleveland Clinic, is the 2017 Dr. Mihaljevic recipient of the Dr. William and joined Cleveland Clinic in 2004 as a Roxanna Michener Award for the cardiothoracic surgeon specializing in Development of Leadership, Medical minimally invasive cardiac surgery. Since Dr. Robert Naples (left) and Dr. Vishal 2015, he has been CEO of Cleveland Clinic Vashistha received awards for medical Humanities and Art. Abu Dhabi. excellence and leadership this past The Michener Award honors spring. individuals whose peers and “Dr. Mihaljevic brings a depth of teachers believe they embody true experience, first as an innovative, world-class Dr. Naples, born and raised in leadership qualities. Among them surgeon, and more recently, as a hospital Connecticut, said he was inspired are a commitment to learning, executive focused on healthcare quality by his grandfather, an internist, and superior communication abilities and safety, patient experience and business that he knew early on he would like and a mastery of medical skills. strategy,” says Robert E. Rich Jr., Chair of to pursue a career as a physician. Recipients also are recognized for Cleveland Clinic’s Board of Directors. “By After graduating from Ohio displaying courage, integrity and nearly every measure – quality, accessibility, Wesleyan University with a degree compassion, which represent the finances, innovation, reputation – Cleveland in biochemistry, he went on to highest ideals of clinical medicine. Clinic has made unprecedented strides since complete a master’s in biomedical Dr. Vashistha earned his medical Dr. Cosgrove became CEO and President in science at Tufts University in Boston. degree at Ohio State University. He 2004. Dr. Mihaljevic has the background, On completing the program, he recently completed an eight-week skills and vision to move Cleveland Clinic was offered a research position in caregiver quality of life project in forward to even greater heights.” the Pathobiology Department at Delhi, India, where he conducted Cleveland Clinic’s Board of Governors Cleveland Clinic’s Lerner Research a study at the All India Institute of and Board of Directors unanimously selected Institute, studying asthma and Medical Sciences to help define Dr. Mihaljevic based on the unanimous pulmonary hypertension. the impact of advanced lung recommendation of a nomination com- When he had been in the cancer on patients’ families living mittee chaired by Mr.