AMA Awards 2008 Excellence in Healthcare
AMA President, Dr Rosanna Capolingua, last night announced that this year's AMA Excellence in Healthcare Award has been won by Dr Nigel Stewart, head of the Northern Regional Paediatric Unit at Port August Hospital in South Australia, a paediatrician who she said had "worked tirelessly for at-risk key medical services, particularly for children and indigenous Australians".
The Excellence in Healthcare Award is given to an individual who has made a significant contribution to improving health or health care in Australia.
Dr Capolingua said that Dr Stewart was a person who felt compelled to fight for and implement change to help build a better, safer and fairer health system for rural Australians and future generations.
"He has a strong interest in many aspects of children's health, including rural children's health, indigenous health, behavioural paediatrics and developmental paediatrics," she said.
"As a rural practitioner, he has been a strong advocate for rural health consumers and their access to health services."
Dr Stewart had already won the AMA(SA) Award in 2006 in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the medical profession as a whole.
He received the 2008 Excellence in Healthcare Award at the AMA's National Conference in Hobart last night.
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