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Caring Physician Winners Announced

01/29/2021

The Pastoral Care department of SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital will host the Caring Physician Award service at 12 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 11, in Conference Rooms A-C, (Level 2). 

The physicians who are this year’s recipients of the Caring Physician Award are:

This year, medical staff, medical students, administration and physicians nominated 18 physicians. Nominations were solely based on how physicians carry out the mission of Saint Louis University, “The pursuit of truth for the greater glory of God and for the service of humanity” and SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital. “Through our exceptional health care services we reveal the healing presence of God.”

When selecting a physician, nominators looked at criteria represented in seven areas:

  1. The physician excels in working with patients, families and staff.
  2. The physician treats everyone as a sacred human being.
  3. The physician respects all patient's right to life and to a dignified death.
  4. The physician contributes to quality care of our patients.
  5. The physician is open to holistic, innovative and spiritual care.
  6. The physician makes contributions to this hospital community.
  7. The physician makes contributions to the community at large.

All nominations were truly appreciated, as it shows each nominee's significance, talent, and overall appreciation for their work.

Physician nominees this year included Zarir Ahmed, D.O., Matthew Broom, M.D., Jabon Ellis, D.O., Carl Freeman, M.D., Ghassan Kamel, M.D., Kyle Karches, M.D., Jason Keune, M.D., Daemeon Nicolaou, M.D., Lina Toledo-Franco, M.D., Kirubahara Vaheesan, M.D. and Philip Vaidyan, M.D.

Resident nominees included Varun Halani, M.D. and Lemuel Sibulo, D.O.

The “Caring Physician Award” is being held in remembrance of World Day of the Sick.

The awards will be presented to each physician by a chaplain who has collaborated with that physician in ministry and service to the patients and families.