Fasika Woreta of The Johns Hopkins Hospital was named a Physician of the Year for her work leading the ophthalmology residency program at the Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins.

E. Leila Jerome Clay, director of the Sickle Cell Program in the Cancer and Blood Disorders Institute at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, received the Excellence in Service and Professionalism award.

Norman Dy of Johns Hopkins Community Physicians received an Innovations in Clinical Care award for his leadership in a new Direct Primary Care model with better access to care for patients.

The three were among 42 Johns Hopkins Medicine Clinical Award physicians and care teams honored at a ceremony and reception on Dec. 3 at the Chevy Chase Bank Auditorium in The Johns Hopkins Hospital. The Celebration of Clinical Excellence attracted a standing-room-only crowd of awardees, family members and colleagues.

As winners were announced by Stephen Sisson, vice president of clinical operations for the Office of Johns Hopkins Physicians, the individuals and teams crossed the stage to accept awards from Kevin W. Sowers, president of Johns Hopkins Health System and executive vice president of Johns Hopkins Medicine; Paul B. Rothman, dean of the medical faculty and CEO of Johns Hopkins Medicine; and Jonathan Efron, senior vice president for the Office of Johns Hopkins Physicians.

“Within an organization of extraordinary individuals, you stand out as the very best of the very best,” said Sowers. “We thank you for all you do each and every day to take care of our patients, their loved ones and each other.”

Rothman said he created the awards and event five years ago to honor the important work of caring for patients. He noted that Johns Hopkins recently created a new promotion track for clinical excellence, which will launch in 2020. “I think we will be a better institution because of this,” he said.

Organized by the Office of Johns Hopkins Physicians, the awards program attracted some 400 nominations from across the health system, the highest number since it launched. A total of 42 individuals and teams — representing all six Johns Hopkins hospitals, Johns Hopkins Community Physicians and all providers across the system — were honored in the following categories:

· William Baumgartner, M.D., Physician of the Year: Physicians who consistently achieve high standards in the practice of medicine and whom peers consider role models.

· Armstrong Award for Excellence in Quality and Safety: Physicians who partner with patients, families, colleagues and staff members to optimize patient outcomes and eliminate preventable harm.

· Excellence in Service and Professionalism: Physicians who actively promote a culture that embraces, expects and rewards delivery of patient- and family-centered care.

· Best Consulting Physician: Physicians who provide superior consulting or specialized services.

· Innovations in Clinical Care: Physicians, nurses and/or teams that demonstrate a visionary approach to problem solving and performance improvement.

· Clinical Collaboration and Teamwork: Teams that engage colleagues in shared decision-making, fostering cooperation and open communication.