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Dale Walker honored as physician of the year
A national organization of Native American doctors has honored Oregon Health & Science University's Dr. R. Dale Walker as its physician of the year. Dr. Walker is the director of OHSU's One Sky Center.
He is a psychiatrist, a Cherokee, and is one of two Native American psychiatrists certified in treatment of addiction. In his career, he has mentored about 50 Native Americans entering the medical field, including the only other Native American certified in addiction treatment.
It is the second time Dr. Walker has received physician of the year recognition from the Association of American Indian Physicians.
Read more about Dr. Walker’s work in Psychiatry Online.
New director for Oregon Medicaid
Oregon’s Medicaid director, Jim Edge, retired in September. He has been assistant director for the DHS Division of Medical Assistance Programs since November 2007, served as interim director for eight months prior and worked for the Department of Human Services since 2000.
Edge says that it is a good time to make the transition, as the Medicaid program is adding nearly 100,000 members to the Oregon Health Plan and restructuring its health boards and services as a part of a new Oregon Health Authority.
Judy Mohr-Peterson has taken over the over the job. A 12-year veteran of the agency, most recently she has been a deputy in DMAPO's caseload forecasting unit.
Barney Speight returns
Less than a year after leaving state government as Oregon Health Fund Board executive director, Barney Speight has returned. His responsibilities for the new Oregon Health Authority will be purchasing medical services for state employees, Medicaid recipients and seniors.
In addition to his work with the states of Oregon and Washington, Speight has also worked for Kaiser Permanente, Legacy Good Samaritan Hospital, the Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Systems, the Oregon Medical Association and Regence BlueCross BlueShield.
