This year the Shirley Ann Munroe Leadership Award also recognized three finalists for their significant achievements in service of their community:

* Kirk A. Dignum, Ph.D., president and CEO of Mercy Regional Medical Center in Durango, Colo., led efforts to construct a state-of-the-art regional hospital to provide improved care for people in the rural Four Corners region. He has also helped a local primary care provider remain open, helping thousands of patients retain access to preventative care.


*Louis D. Kraml, CEO of Bingham Memorial Hospital in Blackfoot, Idaho, expanded the availability of specialty care in Bingham County by working with and increasing the number of specialty providers at the hospital. He has also developed relationships with physicians, local corporations and community organizations in order to improve the quality, availability and cost of health care in the area.

*Mark J. Woodring, CEO of Myrtue Medical Center in Harlan, Iowa, expanded the medical center's walk-in clinic, making care more accessible and affordable; launched a new electronic medical record system; and announced a collaborative plan with the community of Harlan to build a $5 million wellness center to combat child obesity and chronic heart disease, and to focus on wellness and prevention. Myrtue Medical Center's rural health clinics are also part of a national health care demonstration project, "TransforMED" with the American Academy of Family Physicians (www.transformed.com).

About AHA

The American Hospital Association (AHA) is a not-for-profit association of health care provider organizations and individuals that are committed to health improvement in their communities. The AHA is the national advocate for its members, which include almost 5,000 hospitals, health care systems, networks, and other providers of care. Founded in 1898, the AHA provides education for health care leaders and is a source of information on health care issues and trends. For more information, visit the Web site at www.aha.org.
Shirley Ann Munroe Award

Shirley Ann Munroe was an advocate for small and rural hospitals and was instrumental in the creation of the AHA's Section for Small or Rural Hospitals, a forum working to support small and rural hospitals as they improve their community's health.

The award is sponsored by the AHA's Section for Small or Rural Hospitals and the Health Research and Educational Trust (HRET). It is presented annually to a hospital administrator or chief executive officer who has displayed outstanding leadership in meeting the ongoing challenge of small or rural hospital management. Last year's award recipient was Brian Shockney, president and CEO of Memorial Hospital in Logansport, Ind.

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