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Psychiatrist Wins Annual Dr. Dreyer Award of Excellence
| Monday, 28 June 2010 13:19 |
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David S. Leader, M.D., a board certified psychiatrist who has practiced at the Clinic since 1986, has been named the recipient of the 2009 Dr. John W. Dreyer Award of Excellence.
The official announcement came from Chairman of the Board, Jon E. Christofersen, M.D., during the June quarterly meeting of the physician group. Dr. Leader was chosen from individual nominations submitted to the Dreyer Medical Group board of directors, a governing group composed of seven practicing physicians. Their final selection was based on a global assessment of a number of key areas of physician performance. Dr. Leader’s contributions to the Clinic include chairing the Psychiatry Department, serving on the board of directors for the former Dreyer Health Plans, and his active involvement with both the Utilization Management Committee and the Mentor Program for new physicians. Since coming to the Fox Valley area, Dr. Leader has been a tireless advocate for increased awareness of mental health issues and problems with the goal of improving treatment for individuals of all ages who have mental health needs. He has generously volunteered his time and expertise to numerous community organizations, professional service providers, and public entities. Because of his dedication and persistence, public perceptions have been improved and services are more compassionately delivered to these special populations. Additionally, Dr. Leader was an active member of the Board of Directors of the Association of Individual Development (A.I.D.) from 1996 through 2005, and because of his clinical expertise, actively participated on the Client Services and Medical Committees throughout his three terms. As part of his board commitment, he played a valuable role in the process that earned accreditation for A.I.D.’s Crisis Line of the Fox Valley operation from the American Association of Suicidology. He also served on a subcommittee formed to forge/maintain a relationship between A.I.D. and Suicide Prevention Services. “Dr. Leader clearly exemplifies the values and philosophy first espoused by our founder, Dr. John Dreyer, in the first half of the twentieth century,” noted Dr. Christofersen. “It’s very gratifying to see Dr. Dreyer’s outstanding example of compassionate service and clinical excellence carried on by the doctors like Dr. Leader here today.” Dr. Leader received his undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois in Urbana, and earned a medical degree from the University of Illinois in Chicago in 1985. Dr. Leader sees patients at the Clinic’s West Downer Place location. He has hospital affiliations with Provena Mercy Medical Center and Rush-Copley Medical Center. Dr. Leader’s special interests include general adult psychiatry and chemical dependence. The Dr. John W. Dreyer Award of Excellence is crafted of crystal and engraved with an image of Dr. Dreyer on his bicycle. The early area practitioner, who came to Aurora in 1905, had a reputation for making house calls on a bicycle. In 1914, he rode his bike to North Aurora during a blinding snowstorm to administer a desperately needed dose of diphtheria vaccine to a young boy. That “house call” saved the boy’s life. The Dr. John W. Dreyer Award of Excellence was created in 2002 during the 80th anniversary of the Clinic. Dr. Leader is the eighth physician to receive this high honor. Previous winners were Fred V. Kemp, M.D.; Michael C. Loebach, M.D.; Steven J. Sapyta, M.D.; Richard I. Angell, M.D.; Sheryl Pastryk Snyder, M.D.; John N. Blair, M.D.; and Cornelius K. Smith, M.D. |