Arthur B. Cecil Jr., MD, Award for Excellence Recipient Named
University of Maryland Shore Regional Health recently named Peyman Otmishi, MD, as the recipient of the 2014 Arthur B. Cecil, Jr., MD, Award for Excellence in Health Care Improvement. Dr. Otmishi, an intensivist with University of Maryland Shore Pulmonary Care, was chosen from among five other candidates for the annual award, which is named for Arthur B. Cecil, Jr., MD, a surgeon who practiced at University of Maryland Shore Medical Center at Easton from 1950 until 1988.
Dr. Cecil was the first recipient of the award, which recognized his contributions to clinical advancements and medical staff development. Today, the Cecil Award continues the tradition of recognizing performance improvement initiatives that have a measurable effect on the quality of health care for a defined group of patients. The award was presented to Dr. Otmishi by Dr. Cecil’s son, Arthur B. Cecil, III.
Dr. Otmishi was nominated for his contributions to performance improvement and assuring quality outcomes in the area of critical care medicine. In addition to his work in infection prevention in the intensive care units at UM Shore Regional Health, Dr. Otmishi was instrumental in the implementation of eCare, a telemedicine program that enables intensivists – physicians who specialize in critical care – and critical care nurses at University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore to help oversee the care of intensive care patients at University of Maryland Shore Medical Centers at Chestertown, Dorchester and Easton.
Other 2014 Cecil Award nominees were:
- Scott D. Friedman, MD, for his 30 years of dedicated service to the community and for his efforts to improve the health care provided on the Eastern Shore;
- Laura Jin, MD, for implementation of the Gastroenterology Specialty Hospitalist Service at UM Shore Regional Health and for her humanism, professionalism and clinical excellence;
- Khalid H. Kurtom, MD, FAANS, FACS, for his contribution to quality, patient safety and innovation in the area of minimally invasive spine surgery;
- The Pediatric Department at University of Maryland Shore Medical Center at Easton, for their efficient work flow;
- Adam J. Weinstein, MD, for excellence in direct patient care, use of electronic communications methods, public and staff education, and leadership.
The finalists were Dr. Kurtom and Dr. Otmishi.
Dr. Otmishi obtained his medical degree from St. George’s University School of Medicine, in Grenada, West Indies. After completing an internship at the John F. Kennedy Medical Center in New Jersey, he completed an internal medicine residency and a fellowship in pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine at the University of Louisville in Kentucky. Dr. Otmishi is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in sleep medicine, and is certified in internal medicine, pulmonary medicine and critical care medicine.
Kenneth Kozel, president and CEO, UM Shore Regional Health comments, “The Cecil Award allows us to identify those innovative, creative, engaged and highly motivated physicians, whose efforts result in better patient care, enabling us, as an organization, to achieve our mission of Creating Healthier Communities Together.”
“Shore Regional Health and all of our physicians, like Dr. Otmishi, strive every day to innovate and bring leading edge care to all the patients we serve,” remarks William Huffner, MD, MBA, FACEP, FACHE, chief medical officer, UM Shore Regional Health. “We are fortunate to have physicians of this caliber in our region.”
Dr. Otmishi was nominated for the Cecil Award by Ruth Ann Jones, EdD, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, director of acute care and emergency services, UM Shore Regional Health. Jones comments, “Dr. Otmishi has been instrumental in interdisciplinary work around quality initiatives to prevent infection in our intensive care units. He works collaboratively with the nursing staff and multidisciplinary team to ensure that our patients are receiving safe, high quality, evidence-based medical care.”
“It is such a tremendous honor to have been selected as the 2014 Cecil Award winner, “remarks Dr. Otmishi. “While I take great pride in this achievement, it is my belief that no one person can take care of an ill patient. It is not the job of one physician, one nurse or one therapist – taking care of patients requires a collaborative approach and that is what my peers and I practice at Shore Regional Health.”
University of Maryland Shore Regional Health is the principal provider of comprehensive health care services for the more than 170,000 residents of the Mid-Shore region including Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot counties. University of Maryland Shore Medical Center at Chestertown is a member hospital of Shore Regional Health, which is part of the University of Maryland Medical System.
Photo: Pictured at the recent award banquet are (left to right) Kenneth Kozel, president and CEO, UM Shore Regional Health; Dr. William Huffner, chief medical officer, UM Shore Regional Health; Dr. Peyman Otmishi, 2014 Cecil Award recipient; Dr. Khalid Kurtom, 2014 Cecil Award finalist; Arthur B. Cecil, III; and John Dillon, chairman, Board of Directors, UM Shore Regional Health.