New AAMI Award to Honor HTM 'Iconoclasts'

Sometimes, the best way to improve a field is to break the rules. That’s why AAMI and TRIMEDX have partnered to create a new annual award that will honor former AAMI Board Member John Daniel Hughes, Jr., a healthcare technology management (HTM) leader known for his sense of humor and willingness to challenge the status quo. John passed away in 2018 after a long bout with cancer.

The AAMI & TRIMEDX John D. Hughes Iconoclast Award will recognize individuals who push the boundaries of the HTM profession and demonstrate individual excellence, achievement, and leadership. Nominations are due by May 10.

“There are so many people who simply ‘go with the flow’ because either it is easier, or they just don’t think that change is possible. The award winner should be someone who is comfortable challenging the norm,” said Larry Hertzler, senior vice president at TRIMEDX and a longtime friend of Hughes.

Candidates for the AAMI & TRIMEDX John D. Hughes Iconoclast Award must demonstrate:

• A dedication to achievement in the HTM field.
• Significant contribution(s) to an important issue or issues facing their organization and/or the industry as a whole that push the general thinking or position currently in place.
• Leadership and a professional commitment to the field by writing articles for industry publications, participating in committees, and speaking at industry events.

Candidates should also demonstrate:

• The ability to professionally challenge a commonly held perspective or position that results in moving an HTM program forward.
• Leadership in promoting the profession to the C-suite, clinicians, prospective students, and other healthcare professionals.
• Evidence of HTM leadership and excellence in the workplace through, for example, contributions to management improvements, patient care, cost savings, or improvement in the use or impact of technology.
• Leadership contribution to national, state, or local HTM organizations.
• Involvement in standards development through organizations such as AAMI, NFPA, or The Joint Commission, or an individual’s own organization.
• Substantial professional contributions to AAMI.

To submit a nomination for the AAMI & TRIMEDX John D. Hughes Iconoclast Award, email a letter, CV, and evidence of additional types of activities relevant to this award to Steve Campbell at scampbell@aami.org by Friday, May 10.

The winner will receive a $1,000 check and a plaque during a special ceremony at the AAMI Exchange, the name for the association’s growing and revamped annual conference and expo. The Exchange will be held June 7–10 in Cleveland, OH.

AAMI (www.aami.org) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1967. It is a diverse community of more than 10,000 healthcare technology professionals united by one important mission—supporting the healthcare community in the development, management, and use of safe and effective health technology. AAMI is the primary source of consensus standards, both national and international, for the medical device industry, as well as practical information, support, and guidance for health technology and sterilization professionals.