Physician and Researcher Recognized for Contribution to the Field of Home-Based Medical Care

American Academy of Home Care Medicine Presents Annual Awards:

  • Paul Chiang, MD, named “House Call Physician of the Year”
  • Aaron Yao, PhD, named “Researcher of the Year”

SCHAUMBURG, IL, November 7, 2019 — The American Academy of Home Care Medicine (AAHCM) recognized a physician and researcher for their contributions to the field of home-based primary care at the organization’s October meeting in Rosemont, IL.

AAHCM awarded its House Call Physician of the Year designation to Paul Chiang, MD, medical director and practicing physician of Northwestern Medicine’s HomeCare Physicians and senior medical & practice advisor for the Home Centered Care Institute (HCCI). The House Call Physician of the Year award is given to a physician member of the AAHCM who provides the highest quality of service and innovative programs, demonstrates excellence and has continued dedication to the field of house call medicine.

“Dr. Chiang has made more than 32,000 house calls to 2,900 patients in his 19-year career,” said Tom Lally, CEO and CMO of Bloom Healthcare in Colorado and the chair of AAHCM’s Annual Awards Committee, in announcing the award at the meeting. “He also enjoys teaching students, is passionate about bringing care to those who are homebound and was previously named one of the 50 ‘unsung heroes’ in the 50-year-history of Central DuPage Hospital. At the Home Centered Care Institute (HCCI),      Dr. Chiang helps develop curriculum, teaches providers, and presents locally and nationally on the need for and benefits of home-based primary care.”

“I’m deeply honored to be the recipient of this award,” Dr. Chiang said. “For me, it is really recognition of the entire field of house call providers who focus on bringing care to our patients, advancing the field and helping house call medicine become even more mainstream.”

The academy awarded its Dan Gilden Creative Investigator designation to Aaron Yao, PhD, lead researcher for HCCI. The Dan Gilden Creative Investigator award is given to a member of AAHCM whose research demonstrates innovation in all areas of their work as they help to advance home care medicine.

In announcing Dr. Yao’s award, Lally explained, “House call medicine cannot advance without continued investigation into improving the value that we all create for patients, payers and the community. That is why Dr. Yao’s work at HCCI, in addition to his work with Shandong University in China and the University of Virginia School of Medicine, has been so critical. In these roles, time and again, he has focused on increasing the availability and quality of home care.”

“I’m thankful to all of my mentors and colleagues,” Yao said. “I’m excited to work on improving home care medicine in the U.S. and internationally, especially for frail and homebound patients in low- and middle-income countries. Health care and science can build many bridges across people and nations and I’m proud to play a small role in helping us unite.”

“We’re very proud of Dr. Chiang and Dr. Yao,” added Dr. Thomas Cornwell, CEO of HCCI, founder of Northwestern Medicine’s HomeCare Physicians and a practicing house call doctor. “Together, they help us spread awareness about home-based primary care and build a workforce of providers and practices to make this model of care more accessible. In doing so, they bring a real commitment and caring to their work.”

“These awards represent the highest professional honor from our organization, selected by a committee of peers.” said Theresa Soriano, MD, MPH, president of AAHCM. “We are thrilled to be able to recognize and celebrate Dr. Chiang and Dr. Yao, who embody the dedication, advocacy and idealism that have helped our field grow and thrive over the last thirty years.”

Home Centered Care Institute
The Home Centered Care Institute (HCCI) is a national non-profit organization focused on advancing home-based primary care to ensure that medically complex and homebound or home-limited patients have access to high-quality care in their home. HCCI works with leading academic medical centers, health systems and industry experts to raise awareness of and advocate for expanding the model by growing the home-based primary care workforce through education and training and developing a research-based model for sustainable house call program implementation and growth. For more information, visit www.hccinstitute.org and follow @HCCInstitute.

American Academy of Home Care Medicine
AAHCM is a professional organization serving the needs of physicians, health professionals, and organizations committed to improving care of patients in the home. AAHCM delivers on the promise of interdisciplinary, high-value health care in the home for all people in need by promoting the art, science, and practice of home care medicine. The AAHCM membership is composed of physicians, medical directors, nurse practitioners, physician’s assistants, registered nurses, social workers, practice administrators, and residents/students working in the field of home care medicine. For more information on AAHCM, please visit www.aahcm.org.

Northwestern Medicine
Northwestern Medicine is the shared strategic vision of Northwestern Memorial HealthCare (NMHC) and Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine to transform the future of healthcare and become a premier integrated academic health system. Each day, 33,700 clinical and administrative staff, medical and science faculty, and medical students come together with a shared commitment to superior quality, academic excellence, scientific discovery and patient safety. For more information, visit nm.org.

Media Contact:

James Warda
Home Centered Care Institute (HCCI)
jwarda@hccinstitute.org
847-204-2555