OHSU PRESIDENT RECEIVES HUMAN RELATIONS AWARD FROM AMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE

WHAT: The Oregon Chapter of the American Jewish Committee (AJC) will present its prestigious 2002 Human Relations Award to OHSU President Peter Kohler, M.D.
WHEN/WHERE: 6 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 3, at the Portland Hilton
DETAILS: Please call 503 Emily Gottfried, AJC, at 503 295-6761 if you'd like to cover this event.

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Oregon Health & Science University President Peter Kohler, M.D., has received the Oregon Chapter of the American Jewish Committee's (AJC) 2002 Human Relations Award. In presenting the award, the AJC cited Kohler's "outstanding history and continued record of involvement in initiatives to benefit our entire community and beyond."

The AJC lauded Kohler for the significant amount of resources OHSU devotes to community service and highlighted the following achievements:

• Increasing the number of primary care providers offering care to vulnerable populations.
• Strengthening the diversity and cultural competency of the state's health care workforce
• Initiating employee volunteer and giving programs
• Providing support to health care providers and researchers throughout Oregon.
• Improving access to health care services and information in metropolitan neighborhoods, the inner city and rural communities.
• Combining education and patient care with community service.
• Encouraging young people to consider careers in health care and biomedical research.

The AJC particularly applauded OHSU's role in assuming responsibility for far more low-income, uninsured and Medicaid patients than any other health system or hospital in the state. More than 25 percent of patients receiving uncompensated care at OHSU are children and pregnant women.

The American Jewish Committee works nationally and internationally to build understanding among religious and ethnic groups; to combat anti-Semitism, racism and other forms of bigotry; and to foster respect for the dignity of all.