Five Reasons Why Healthcare Organizations Should Have a Physician Awards Program

In healthcare, physician recognition is good for everyone. Those who are commended for their diligence and skill enjoy a happier, more joyful and fulfilling work environment, which also benefits care teams, organizations, patients and communities.

By recognizing the value of their physicians, healthcare organizations can foster motivation, personal enrichment, commitment and loyalty, resulting in lower turnover, improved productivity and higher patient satisfaction. It’s also personally rewarding for physicians to be recognized among their peers, says Richard Lang, MD, MPH, Former Chair, Department of Executive Health and Current President, Cleveland Clinic Alumni Association.

The benefits of formal recognition

Formal recognition strategies, including awards programs, can be especially advantageous, he adds. According to Quantum Workplace, organizations that have formal recognition programs have 31% less voluntary turnover than those that don’t. They're also 12 times more likely to have strong business outcomes.

In addition to its system-wide employee appreciation program, Caregiver Celebrations, Cleveland Clinic holds formal physician recognition in high regard. Each year, the health system’s Alumni Association honors current and future physicians through its Alumni Association Awards.

“Our 27,000-member, worldwide alumni community celebrates monumental successes with congratulatory programs like our annual Alumni Association Awards,” Dr. Lang explains.

Dr. Lang works closely with Cleveland Clinic’s Alumni Association Awards Committee, including Committee Chair Leo Pozuelo, MD, President-Elect of the Alumni Association. This group leads the strategic direction and execution of the institution’s awards program, which includes recognition ceremonies in the spring and fall.

Drs. Pozuelo and Lang say physician awards programs can benefit healthcare organizations in five important ways:

• Awards recognize excellence.
  Presenting awards celebrates and honors individuals who have made significant contributions to their field, organization and greater healthcare community.

The spring awards ceremony recognizes four future Cleveland Clinic alumni who are on the cusp of making significant medical contributions. Honors given include the graduate level-one award for outstanding first-year performance, the Dr. Satoru and Grace Nakamoto award for medical humanities and leadership development, and two virtue-based leadership awards, one for medical students and the other for physicians pursuing graduate medical education.

The fall ceremony bestows five alumni with the organization’s highest honors, including distinguished alumnus, distinguished emeritus, special achievement, service and early career awards. The 2024 recipients shared a passion for elevating healthcare — from steering pioneering diagnostic radiology to overseeing a globally renowned cancer registry and introducing life-changing endoscopic technology.

• Awards uphold an organization’s reputation.
  Formally honoring physicians allows an organization to reinforce its reputation.

"The achievements of our alumni explain why Cleveland Clinic is a global healthcare role model,” says Dr. Lang.

Healthcare awards are often a reflection of an institution’s esteemed medical talent, capabilities, commitment to innovation, leadership, service and more, he explains.

Cleveland Clinic’s virtue-based leadership awards were established by Education Institute Chair James K. Stoller, MD, MS. According to Dr. Stoller, the classic virtues of leadership are intrinsic to an organization’s high performance.

“Ask people for a show of hands of how many of them would want to work for an organization that doesn’t value trust or compassion, where leaders lack wisdom, and where there is no hope,” Dr. Stoller says in a recent edition of Cleveland Clinic’s Alumni Connection magazine. “Nobody raises their hand. Everyone understands viscerally that the hard part is executing leadership [in a way that] people can see those principles in play and have leaders who model them.”

• Promoting achievements strengthens physician engagement.
  Sharing successes provides an opportunity to reconnect and engage physician peers, fostering a sense of pride and continued affiliation with an organization and its community.

“Acknowledging the impact physicians have made among their peers builds engagement,” says Dr. Pozuelo.

Ericka M. Schmidt, MD, received the 2024 Graduate Level-One Award for outstanding first-year performance. Upon receiving the honor, she indicated that she would not be the physician she is today without the colleagues who supported her.

“Cleveland Clinic has provided an overwhelmingly supportive and welcoming environment that has allowed me to grow as a physician,” Dr. Schmidt notes in Alumni Connection. “I believe being selected for this award reflects the incredible guidance and mentorship I have received from the residents, fellows, attending physicians, staff and caregivers that I have been privileged to work with.

• Recipients inspire future generations.
  Award recipients serve as role models by motivating others to follow in their footsteps. Sharing their success stories encourages current students, early-career professionals and others to also strive for excellence.

“My professional goal is supporting my patients and their families, my colleagues and trainees,” Carol A. Burke, MD, said when accepting the 2024 Distinguished Alumnus Award.

Dr. Burke is a dedicated mentor and nationally recognized thought leader in gastroenterology. Among her passions are training the next generation of physicians, providing support to early career researchers and teaching medical professionals.

• Awards celebrate an organization’s legacy.
  Awards preserve the rich history of contributions made by an organization’s physicians to healthcare, health education, medical innovation and more. This enhances the legacy of an institution, keeping it relevant for future generations.

Recipient of the 2024 Distinguished Emeritus Award, Gregory P. Borkowski, MD, FACR, who is now retired but spent his 50-year career at Cleveland Clinic, attributes his success to a collaborative team and the institution’s academics, innovative technology and growth potential.

“Not only was there the clinical practice, but there was the academic aspect and the interesting technology,” Dr. Borkowski explains. “I’ve had an amazing career that was on the forefront of the tremendous evolution of imaging and the pleasure of working alongside a team that was instrumental to our success.”

Capitalize with the best candidates

For optimal program success, it’s crucial to select the best award recipients. Ensuring clarity and fairness requires a thorough, comprehensive selection process. According to Dr. Pozuelo, there are many factors to consider — from confirming a nominee meets award-specific criteria to ensuring they reflect the organization’s mission, vision and values.

“Selecting award recipients requires careful thought and consideration, extensive candidate eligibility review, voting, ranking sessions and more to ensure the most ideal person is chosen,” Dr. Pozuelo says.

At Cleveland Clinic, the Alumni Association Board of Directors plays an important role in candidate nomination and selection.

“Our board members help ensure that we honor those whose impact truly represents the breadth of our alumni’s achievements,” says Melinda Stroh, Senior Director of Alumni Relations and Development. “Organizations looking to create a physician awards program will benefit from having a similarly influential body.”

The physicians who sit on the institution's alumni board ensure a broad pool of candidates by encouraging nominations and promoting the awards program within their professional networks.

“It’s important to cast a wide net to identify the most deserving individuals across specialties and generations,” Dr. Pozuelo says. “More nominations lead to a richer, more diverse selection of awardees.”

The insights and perspectives of board members also help identify exceptional candidates who otherwise may be overlooked. “Some of the most remarkable contributions often go unnoticed,” he says. “Our board brings attention to physicians who may not seek recognition but whose work significantly impacts patients, research, education and our organization’s mission."

Finally, having prominent leaders involved reinforces an organization’s culture of recognition.

“Cleveland Clinic’s board member involvement shows that we value celebrating and acknowledging the influence of our alumni, which goes back to increasing overall engagement and creating an atmosphere that encourages commitment,” Stroh adds.