Frank Kelley, MD, Director of Hospital Medicine at University Hospitals Portage Medical Center, was recently selected as one of three 2019 Facility Medical Directors of the Year by Alteon Health, the industry-leading national medical group that has managed Portage's Hospitalist program since 2006.

The award honors Medical Directors from across Alteon's 125 clinical sites who exhibited exemplary leadership and professionalism in 2019, mentoring their physicians and advanced practice providers while improving department performance. Justin Meiser, Vice President of Operations at Alteon, nominated Kelley, noting how under his leadership, the Portage Hospitalist program has transformed from one of the lowest-performing departments in University Hospitals to a system-wide leader in many quality metrics. The success has come in part as a result of Kelley's aggressive campaign to recruit a staff of highly skilled full-time clinicians who thrive on teamwork and are dedicated members of the hospital team and the community.

"Dr. Kelley is one of the most clinically skilled physicians we have," Meiser said. "He leads by example and is always willing to be self-reflective and looks for ways to improve both personally and professionally. This translates to the entire UH Portage Hospitalist team."

Kelley was one of three awardees selected by a panel of clinicians from Alteon's Executive Leadership Team. Trisha Anest, MD, MPH, FACEP, Director of Emergency Medicine at Bon Secours Mary Immaculate Hospital in Newport News, Virginia, was honored as Facility Medical Director of the Year for Alteon's Southern Division. Tom Wulf, MD, Director of Emergency Medicine at Eastern New Mexico Medical Center in Roswell, New Mexico, was selected for the North Division.

"I really must thank my team for their willingness to work hard on patient care while incorporating new processes. I would like to especially recognize my Associate HM Medical Director, Dr. Khalid Elamin, for his contributions as well," said Kelley, who has led Portage's Hospital Medicine program since 2010.

Kelley graduated from the Ohio State University College of Medicine and Public Health in 1994, specializing in internal medicine. In addition to his role as Medical Director, he serves on the hospital's credentials, quality and medical executive committees and was elected by his peers as secretary/treasurer of the medical staff.

Kelley's success at Portage helped Alteon solidify its strong partnership with University Hospitals. When UH acquired Portage, which was then Robinson Memorial Hospital, in 2015, it was Alteon's only Hospitalist contract in the system. The Portage Hospitalist team's outstanding clinical performance has helped Alteon expand its business to 17 UH facilities, including a total of three HM programs.

"Thanks in part to Dr. Kelley's outstanding leadership, we now have the privilege of serving patients all across Northeast Ohio," said Jose Aguirre, MD, SFHM, President of Alteon's Hospital Medicine Division, when presenting the award at the company's National Leadership Summit in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on January 16. "His vision, drive and commitment to the best possible care are exactly what we look for in a successful Medical Director."

About Alteon Health

With more than 1,700 clinicians serving more than 125 practice locations nationwide, Alteon is a leading provider of emergency medicine, hospitalist medicine, critical care, post-acute care and virtual and home health services. The physician-led practice is equipped with nearly 50 years of experience in providing high-quality, industry-leading and patient-focused care in diverse medical markets. For more information, visit alteonhealth.com.