Newswise — The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) has established the William H.J. Haffner American Indian/Alaska Native Women's Health Award in honor of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) professor.
William H.J. Haffner, M.D., who is the former chair of USU's Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and a retired U.S. Public Health Service officer who spent most of his career with the Indian Health Service (IHS), has been actively involved with ACOG's Committee on American Indian Affairs since its inception as a task force in the early 1970s, and its recognition by ACOG as a full committee in the 1980s. The Committee serves as a consultative body that conducts annual quality assurance and educational site visits, on a rotating basis, to an area of the IHS with full-service OB/GYN capabilities. The Committee also serves as a legislative advocate for Indian women's healthcare and an advocate within the IHS.
Dr. Haffner was a long-standing consultant to the ACOG Committee, serving as a bridge between the IHS and the ACOG, but has recently been formally appointed to the Committee as a member with a four-year term.
The Haffner Award will be presented at ACOG's Annual Clinical Meeting to the healthcare professional, currently in or recently retired from an IHS or tribal position, who best demonstrates commitment and dedication to providing exceptional healthcare to American Indian/Alaska Native women.
USU is the nation's federal school of medicine and graduate school of nursing. The students are active duty uniformed officers in the Army, Navy, Air Force and Public Health Service who are being educated to deal with wartime casualties, national disasters, emerging infectious diseases and other public health emergencies.
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