Mark Birdwhistell, vice president of administration and external affairs at UK HealthCare
The Seven Counties Services Healthcare Advocacy Award (2014)
At the time of his award, Birdwhistell was chairman of the national OI Foundation. Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a genetic disorder characterized by fragile bones that break easily. As the parent of a daughter with OI, he said that leading this group is especially rewarding.
Additionally he served as the national chair of the board of directors for SNHPA, an advocacy organization of safety net hospital and pharmacy leaders working to improve access for patients to affordable pharmaceuticals.
As an example of his advocacy efforts, while serving as Secretary of Health in Kentucky, Birdwhistell worked to help fund a new facility for individuals with severe mental illness to replace Eastern State Hospital (the second oldest state mental health hospital in the country). Working with partners in government and advocacy, they were successful in funding a new state-of-the-art facility on UK property.
When he returned to UK after public service he received a call to help increase UK’s involvement in ESH, which in turn led to a new management agreement for UK to administer the new hospital from day one of its opening.
Of his efforts, Birdwhistell said, “As we transitioned patients from the old, decaying hospital to the new complex I felt a tremendous sense of accomplishment. Through partnerships with advocates and UK, my goal is that ESH will host a world class neurobehavioral center for the entire Commonwealth.”
When asked why this was so important to advocate for, Birdwhistell responded, “Overcoming the stigma of mental illness and recognizing the connection between mental and physical health continue to be two significant challenges facing the country. The new Eastern State Hospital is about more than a state-of-the-art structure. It’s about recovery-focused care, giving people the skills they need to function in the community. It’s also about treating the whole person, not just the illness. The facility allows us the space to be creative in our approaches to care.”
We caught up with Birdwhistell to see how the award impacted him and what new developments have occurred since winning the MediStar Award last year.
How did winning a MediStar Award affect you both professionally and personally?
Mark Birdwhistell: The MediStar Seven Counties Services Health Advocacy Award was a tremendous honor and recognition to the years of public and private service I have been lucky to provide in an amazing industry with incredible colleagues, advocates and families. It was also a great opportunity to share with an audience just how grateful and thankful I am to the many mentors in my life who have helped me along the way.
What personal or professional developments have occurred since you won your MediStar Award?
MB: I am proud to report, especially in light of receiving the Seven Counties award, that UK HealthCare’s management of the new Eastern State Hospital continues to be an important community asset in Fayette and surrounding counties – all while bolstering the University of Kentucky’s education, research and service missions.
We have made great strides in better merging mental and physical health services, and the inclusion of a freestanding psychiatric hospital in a growing academic medical center enterprise is proof of how structure is beginning to reflect what many mental health advocates have worked toward for years.
Birdwhistell is no stranger to receiving recognition. Prior to winning the MediStar Award, he had been recognized by several advocacy organizations including the Family Place of Louisville, the National Association of the Mentally Ill (NAMI), the Council on Mental Retardation and the American Advocates for Health.
Since receiving the 2014 MediStar award, Birdwhistell was also honored with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Lexington chapter’s 2014 “Wings” Award. The award recognized his team’s efforts in implementing the addition of Peer Support Specialists at Eastern State Hospital and continuing to build bridges with the community at large.
The Seven Counties Services Healthcare Advocacy Award (2014)
At the time of his award, Birdwhistell was chairman of the national OI Foundation. Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a genetic disorder characterized by fragile bones that break easily. As the parent of a daughter with OI, he said that leading this group is especially rewarding.
Additionally he served as the national chair of the board of directors for SNHPA, an advocacy organization of safety net hospital and pharmacy leaders working to improve access for patients to affordable pharmaceuticals.
As an example of his advocacy efforts, while serving as Secretary of Health in Kentucky, Birdwhistell worked to help fund a new facility for individuals with severe mental illness to replace Eastern State Hospital (the second oldest state mental health hospital in the country). Working with partners in government and advocacy, they were successful in funding a new state-of-the-art facility on UK property.
When he returned to UK after public service he received a call to help increase UK’s involvement in ESH, which in turn led to a new management agreement for UK to administer the new hospital from day one of its opening.
Of his efforts, Birdwhistell said, “As we transitioned patients from the old, decaying hospital to the new complex I felt a tremendous sense of accomplishment. Through partnerships with advocates and UK, my goal is that ESH will host a world class neurobehavioral center for the entire Commonwealth.”
When asked why this was so important to advocate for, Birdwhistell responded, “Overcoming the stigma of mental illness and recognizing the connection between mental and physical health continue to be two significant challenges facing the country. The new Eastern State Hospital is about more than a state-of-the-art structure. It’s about recovery-focused care, giving people the skills they need to function in the community. It’s also about treating the whole person, not just the illness. The facility allows us the space to be creative in our approaches to care.”
We caught up with Birdwhistell to see how the award impacted him and what new developments have occurred since winning the MediStar Award last year.
How did winning a MediStar Award affect you both professionally and personally?
Mark Birdwhistell: The MediStar Seven Counties Services Health Advocacy Award was a tremendous honor and recognition to the years of public and private service I have been lucky to provide in an amazing industry with incredible colleagues, advocates and families. It was also a great opportunity to share with an audience just how grateful and thankful I am to the many mentors in my life who have helped me along the way.
What personal or professional developments have occurred since you won your MediStar Award?
MB: I am proud to report, especially in light of receiving the Seven Counties award, that UK HealthCare’s management of the new Eastern State Hospital continues to be an important community asset in Fayette and surrounding counties – all while bolstering the University of Kentucky’s education, research and service missions.
We have made great strides in better merging mental and physical health services, and the inclusion of a freestanding psychiatric hospital in a growing academic medical center enterprise is proof of how structure is beginning to reflect what many mental health advocates have worked toward for years.
Birdwhistell is no stranger to receiving recognition. Prior to winning the MediStar Award, he had been recognized by several advocacy organizations including the Family Place of Louisville, the National Association of the Mentally Ill (NAMI), the Council on Mental Retardation and the American Advocates for Health.
Since receiving the 2014 MediStar award, Birdwhistell was also honored with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Lexington chapter’s 2014 “Wings” Award. The award recognized his team’s efforts in implementing the addition of Peer Support Specialists at Eastern State Hospital and continuing to build bridges with the community at large.
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