Excellence in Pediatric Care Awards

State public health department recognizes Dr. Colleen Bingham for her excellence in pediatric care and childhood injury prevention initiatives

Physician honored with Clinical Excellence award

EFFINGHAM, Ill. – Illinois Department of Public Health Office of Preparedness and Response Medical Director Dr. Sam Gaines presented Colleen Bingham, M.D. with a special pediatric care award today for her contributions to childhood care. The Ron W. Lee, M.D. – Excellence in Pediatric Care Awards are given annually by the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Illinois Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC) program 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.

This year’s recipients of the Excellence in Pediatric Care Awards are:

Clinical Excellence – Colleen Bingham, MD – St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital, Effingham
Clinical Excellence – Susan Fuchs, MD – Children’s Memorial Hospital, Chicago
Community Service – School Health LINK, Inc., Rock Island
Lifetime Achievement – W. Robert Elghammer, MD – Elghammer Family Center, Ltd., Danville

“Dr. Bingham saw a need in her community to help victims of sexual abuse and took it upon herself to fill that need. She has worked diligently, conducting physical exams and testifying, to advance prosecution efforts against those who have committed crimes against children,” said Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Eric E. Whitaker. “Dr. Bingham’s dedication to the mentally and emotionally difficult task of working with child abuse cases is very deserving of the Clinical Excellence award.”

Until a couple years ago, Effingham did not have a physician specializing in conducting physical exams on victims of sexual abuse. To be properly examined, victims of sexual abuse had to travel more than an hour away. Dr. Bingham got the equipment and necessary training to be able to examine victims of sexual abuse in her office in Effingham. Area law enforcement says the prosecution of sexual abuse cases has been greatly enhanced by Dr. Bingham’s efforts to extend her expertise to this growing field.

Dr. Bingham serves as a member of the Child Advocacy Board, a multiple agency board that meets bimonthly to discuss cases that are being prosecuted and investigated. For approximately four years Dr. Bingham served as a member of the Children’s Medical Resource Network, an organization that specializes in providing medical evaluations for children who are reported victims of child sexual abuse, child physical abuse and/or neglect, and those who are at risk of abuse. Through the Network, Dr. Bingham has volunteered her time to become trained in evaluating child sexual abuse.

During the 2005-2006 school year, Dr. Bingham helped the Effingham Unit #40 School District spearhead a committee of interested staff, parents and other physicians to look at the current placement of young children with communication disorders. Due to her medical expertise and the efforts of the Effingham Unite #40 staff, those children now have a quiet classroom with fewer students that is more conducive to learning.

The Illinois EMSC program is a collaborative effort of the Illinois Department of Public Health and Loyola University Medical Center. It was established in 1994 to ensure that the emergency medical care needs of children are adequately addressed.

The Ron W. Lee, M.D. Excellence in Pediatric Care awards are presented each May. Dr. Lee was 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.