Anne Searcy, MD Public Service Award

The Anne Searcy, MD Public Service Award is named in honor of Anne Searcy, MD, who was an esteemed colleague and member of WOEMA's Board of Directors and co-chair of the Legislative Committee, and received the Johnstone Award posthumously in 2015. She was a respected leader in the Workers' Compensation industry and a tireless advocate of evidence-based medicine and sound public policy and practices throughout her career. Trained in Family Practice, with many years of hands-on experience in clinical Occupational Medicine, she served as the Associate/ Executive Medical Director of the Division of Workers' Compensation Medical Unit between 1995 and 2008. In her capacity as Executive Medical Director, she dealt with the division's medical and health-related programs, including development of treatment guidelines, fee schedules, and management of the programs for Qualified Medical Evaluators, Medical Provider Networks, utilization review, health care organizations and spinal surgery second opinions, and chaired the DWC Medical Evidence Evaluation Advisory Committee. She also supervised studies related to workers' compensation medical services and analyzed and implemented new legislation and policies in conjunction with the DWC administrative director. Through her dedicated work, she demonstrated the importance of public service and advocacy in improving access to evidence-based health care.

This award is to be presented to a WOEMA member or other deserving nominee who has made notable achievements to protect and advance the health and safety of workers and/ or the environment through his/her work within a governmental or public agency service and/or through volunteer public policy advocacy. Members may receive this award when approved by the WOEMA Board. This award will be presented only when a qualified candidate is apparent from time to time; it is not required to be awarded annually.

 Award was adopted by the WOEMA Board of Directors on September 13, 2017