June 2015 Blogs

Message from Dr. Roubideaux

Today is my last day at HHS and I again wanted to thank all of you for your hard work and dedication to the mission of IHS. I have enjoyed working with you, and am proud of all the great work we have done together to improve the IHS.

Here is a blog that was posted today that celebrates some of our accomplishments in the past 6 years: Progress Towards Better Healthcare for American Indians and Alaska Natives Exit Disclaimer: You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov 

Take care, and again, thank you for helping us change and improve the IHS!

Phoenix Indian Medical Center's POSH Team Wins Top HHS Innovates Award

Congratulations to the IHS Phoenix Indian Medical Center (PIMC) Peri-Operative Surgical Home (POSH) program for winning the 2015 HHS Innovates "Employee's Choice" Award. This prestigious award is given once a year to HHS employees who develop creative solutions to complex issues. The awards bring the best employee-led solutions to the attention of colleagues, HHS leadership, and the public.

POSH Exit Disclaimer: You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov  is improving the care of complex surgical patients by creating the processes, multi-disciplinary collaboration, and staff education necessary to safely deliver the highest standard of care to the most challenging patients in a cost effective way.

We are very proud of the outstanding work that PIMC is doing and encourage all of our employees to continue to develop creative and cost-saving ideas and participate in the annual HHS Innovates Awards program.

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Congratulations: Ben Smith Wins 2014 Arthur S. Flemming Award

I am pleased to announce that Ben Smith, Director of the Office of Tribal Self-Governance, was recently awarded a 2014 Arthur S. Flemming Award by the George Washington University's Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration. He accepted his Flemming Award on June 8 at George Washington University in Washington, D.C.

Established by the Downtown Jaycees in 1948, the Flemming Awards honor outstanding federal employees with three to 15 years of federal service for their exceptional contributions to the federal government. Recipients are nominated by their federal agency and then selected from a pool of nominees through a competitive judging process. Mr. Smith was selected from a large group of nominees for his exceptional leadership and management skills.

Under Mr. Smith's direction, the IHS Tribal Self-Governance program has had a significant and positive impact on the health and well-being of tribal communities. The IHS Tribal Self-Governance program is authorized by Title V of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, otherwise known as Public Law 93-638 (as amended). Under this authority, more than 60 percent of federally recognized Tribes exercise administratively their inherently sovereign powers utilizing federal resources to manage and operate health care programs formerly offered by the IHS, either directly or through tribal organizations and inter-tribal consortia.

Mr. Smith's commitment and dedication to the successful implementation of the Tribal Self-Governance program is helping more than 350 federally recognized Tribes develop innovative solutions tailored to the challenges of their communities. His leadership on policy helps expand the Indian health system, empower Tribes, and strengthen the nation-to-nation relationship between federal and tribal governments.

Congratulations to Ben Smith for being a 2014 recipient of an Arthur S. Flemming Award!

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IHS Update

Please see the email announcements from Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell [PDF - 43 KB] and Dr. Yvette Roubideaux [PDF - 53 KB]. Dr. Roubideaux, former IHS Director and currently Senior Advisor to the Secretary for American Indians and Alaska Natives departing HHS at the end of June.