This month's cover story,"The Best of the Best," is about the industry's top players. We built a preliminary ballot for voters that was based on recommendations from top hospitals, key vendors, and our Editorial Advisory Board. One of the nominations for the Women's Imaging Specialist category came from a group of passionate people in the Midwest who were emphatic about one radiologist: Hugh Hawkins, Jr, MD. Hawkins specializes in mammography and serves as the medical director of the Women's Center at Middletown Regional Hospital (MRH of Middletown, Ohio), which has been open since October 2004.

In one nomination letter, William M. Rogers, MD, FACEP, the vice-chairman of the department of emergency medicine at MRH, wrote, "I have known Dr Hawkins since residency at the University of Cincinnati in the mid-1980s, when I was captivated by his educational style and enthusiasm for precise and attentive diagnosis and treatment for women's health and imaging. I have since been fortunate to work with Dr Hawkins at MRH, where he brings a general savoir faire to the program and a great diagnostic acumen to breast cancer and gynecologic imaging as well as detection/prevention."

Hugh Hawkins, Jr, MD

In another nomination letter, Lynne A. Mahony of Catholic Health Partners (Cincinnati) wrote, "Hugh is an exemplary clinician and a physician who so truly cares for his patients that he has redesigned the care continuum of women's imaging. He founded ProScan Women's Imaging [with a model] that ensured women had immediate access to mammography, interpretation of their screening results, a physician consultation while on site, and immediate access to follow-up care should findings warrant. It is also important to note that Hugh has persevered in his service to women despite a tremendous personal challenge—a college Rugby accident left him wheelchair-bound, with only very limited use of his hands."

Finally, in her letter of recommendation, Barbara S. Wittenbaum of the SP Agency Inc (Cincinnati) wrote, "I have been a patient of Dr Hawkins for many years. He is warm, caring, puts you at ease, and is so professional when he meets with you. He takes whatever time is needed to explain and compare prior exams. [A mammogram] is not an easy exam, especially for me, a woman whose mother died of breast cancer at the age of 46. But Dr Hawkins makes me feel so special and is so calming. A better doctor, you could not find. He is top in his field!"

Hawkins was most certainly listed on the ballot, and he received a plethora of votes. However, the competition in the Women's Imaging Specialist category was fierce, and Hawkins came in 11th place. Based on the enthusiastic nomination letters we received (without asking, I might add) and Hawkins' close finish, I feel that he is worthy of recognition.

So I chatted with this passionate, caring, and inspiring physician—who took time out of his vacation to call me—and found that Hawkins is worthy of all the praise he receives and then some. He is completely dedicated to his profession, and he meets with every patient who is at the Women's Center for a diagnostic exam. He takes phone calls from his patients who have additional questions, and he is building a Web site for the Center that includes breast-health information, such as calcification facts. "I think it is empowering for women to look up the information on their own via the Internet," Hawkins says, noting that the patient will become better informed for herself and her family and friends. "I love to teach, and I am proud of what I have been able to do."

Hawkins told me that he is working on complying with HIPAA regulations so that he can email exam reports to patients and referring physicians, thereby taking even more time out of the waiting process. He also is hoping to build a community resource guide for patients so that they know where to go for additional help and services. The Women's Center at MRH performs about 10,000 mammograms each year, and Hawkins is the primary reader. Thus far, the Center has been profitable, and his colleagues and patients agree that Hawkins is the primary reason. He says, "I just want a place where women aren't afraid to come for their mammograms." Indeed.

Andi Lucas
Editor

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