IDPH Recognizes Stefanie Clarke For Excellence In Pediatric Care

Ron E. Lee, M.D. Pediatric Care Award – Clinical Excellence

 
SPRINGFIELD– The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and the Illinois Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC) program are honoring Stefanie Clarke, B.S.N., R.N., C.P.E.N., C.E.N., SANE-A, T.N.S., with OSF St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria, with a special pediatric Clinical Excellence Award for her contributions to childhood care.  The Ron W. Lee, M.D. – Excellence in Pediatric Care Awards are given annually by IDPH and EMSC to recognize those dedicated to pediatric emergency care and childhood injury prevention initiatives.  Individuals or organizations can be nominated in one of three award categories - Lifetime Achievement, Clinical Excellence, and Community Service.
 
Clarke currently serves as the SANE (sexual assault nurse examiner) and Pediatric Quality Coordinator for the emergency department at OSF St. Francis Medical Center and Children’s Hospital of Illinois, where she aids the recovery of patients who are victims of sexual assault and improves the overall quality in the pediatric emergency department.  Clarke is also the chairperson for the EMSC Illinois Region 2 Pediatric Quality Coordinators, is on the Child Death Review Board, and is active in the Pediatric Rapid Response Team Committee, the Pediatric Advisory Council, Children's Hospital Quality and Safety Committee, Code Pink (child abduction) Committee, the Pediatric Evidence Based Care Committee, and others. 
 
“It would be an extensive list to encapsulate all the work Stefanie Clark has done and is a part of, but simply put, Ms. Clarke has dedicated her career to improving the quality of emergency care,” said IDPH Director Nirav D. Shah, M.D., J.D.  “For her dedication to, experience in, and vast knowledge of pediatric care, I am honored to award Stefanie Clarke the Ron W. Lee, M.D. Excellence in Pediatric Care Clinical Excellence Award.” 
 
“Stefanie explores issues critical to the safest and highest-level of care for pediatric emergency patients.  She closely tracks all cases of suspected child abuse and neglect, and child and adolescent sexual assault.  Stefanie developed a notification system within the electronic medical record to alert caregivers when they are caring for a high-risk child.  She identified a shortfall in the follow-up of abuse victims, and brought together members of the care team with OSF system-wide case managers to ensure that children do not fall through the cracks upon discharge.
 
Undoubtedly, Stefanie will continue to be at the forefront of pediatric emergency care within our institution, our region, our state and beyond,” said Teresa Morrell Riech, M.D., M.P.H., Medical Director, Pediatric Emergency Department, OSF Saint Francis Medical Center.
 
Other initiatives she has undertaken include a complete revamp of emergency department disaster response and reunification plans, and mechanisms for early identification of pediatric sepsis. 
 
The Ron W. Lee, M.D. Excellence in Pediatric Care awards are presented each May.  Dr. Lee was the medical director for the Division of Emergency Medical Services and Highway Safety at IDPH, as well as the director of emergency medicine at Loyola University Medical Center and was instrumental in establishing and fostering the EMSC program in Illinois.  He passed away in 1998.
 
The Illinois EMSC program is a collaborative effort between IDPH and Loyola University Chicago.  It was established in 1994 to ensure the emergency medical care needs of children are adequately addressed.
 

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