AHA honors federal health care leaders

The AHA today presented two federal hospital leaders with 2020 awards recognizing their outstanding service to the health care field. Air Force Brig. Gen. John Bartrum, mobilization assistant to the deputy surgeon general, received the Award for Excellence. Air Force Lt. Col. Jason Richter, medical support squadron commander and medical group administrator at Aviano Air Base Ambulatory Surgical Center in Italy, received the Special Achievement Award. Among their recent achievements, Bartrum helped design Operation Warp Speed and improve the government’s medical response to the COVID-19 pandemic, while Richter guided teams at the initial epicenter of the pandemic to a series of benchmark breakthroughs adopted at other facilities. 

“All aspects of the federal health system serve thousands of patients each year and have done so much over the years to save lives, perform miracles and keep people healthy,” said AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack. “We are honored to recognize General Bartrum and Lieutenant Colonel Richter for their dedicated leadership, demonstrated resiliency and their integral role in fighting the battle against COVID-19 to ensure their patients are cared for.”

AHA presented the awards today during a virtual Federal Roundtable, which also spotlighted the 2019 honorees.