Exceptional staff performance honored by Commonwealth Medicine

Tim Dailey, Commonwealth Medicine

The Commonwealth Medicine Excellence in Public Service Awards

Commonwealth Medicine (CWM) recognizes that individual dedication and hard work are vital to fulfilling UMass Medical School’s mission to improve health outcomes for vulnerable populations served by public health and human service programs. Three individuals and one group of 13 employees were acknowledged for their exceptional performance with Excellence in Public Service Awards, which were presented at a meeting of CWM leadership on Dec. 7.

Individual awards were presented to Rosemarie Christie, Center for Health Care Financing; Amanda Garrison, Marketing Analytics; and Kathleen Nichols, Disability Evaluation Services. The group award, acknowledging cross-functional efforts that culminated in a contract with the state of Texas for Medicare Part D billing services, was presented to Maura Armstrong, Jeff Auger, Laurie Burns, Keith Gajewski, Paul Janowski, Allison Langhill, Cheryl Lazzaro, Mark Pettengill and Taeko Strassel, Public Sector Partners; Wendy Berube, Clinical Pharmacy Services; Bill Connors, Center for Health Care Financing; and Patty Kellicker, Patrice MacCune and Deb Martin, Marketing Analytics.

Established in March 2009, CWM Excellence in Public Service Awards are given to employees in recognition of outstanding achievement, innovation, leadership and exemplary performance. All employees of CWM and its affiliates, Public Sector Partners and MedMetrics Health Partners, are eligible for the awards. Criteria for consideration are based on recognized research, quality, cost savings/recovery, client service and furthering the CWM/UMMS mission.

As the health care consulting and service division of UMass Medical School, Commonwealth Medicine, through its staff, has cultivated comprehensive expertise in areas of clinical service delivery, health care financing strategies, policy management and quality improvement, among others. The result is a robust enterprise with a multitude of centers and programs that serve public sector agencies, nonprofit clients and managed care organizations. Formally established in 1999, CWM has more than 1,700 employees in more than 30 locations throughout Massachusetts, and works with clients in 20 states and around the world. 

(click to view larger photo) The Texas Medicare Part D proposal team, which received its group award for Excellence in Public Service on Dec. 7, stand with CWM Chief Operating Officer Joyce Murphy and Public Sector Partners (PSP) Interim Managing Director Jim Hooley (far left) and PSP/MedMetrics Health Partners Chief Operating Officer Susan Levine (front row, fourth from left).	(click to view larger photo) Award recipient Rosemarie Christie, Center for Health Care Financing (CHCF), is pictured with CHCF Director Marc Thibodeau and CWM Chief Operating Officer Joyce Murphy.	(click to view larger photo) Award recipient Kathleen Nichols, Disability Evaluation Services (DES), is pictured with, from left, DES Director Gus Adams, DES Financial Assistant Sherry Nguyen, DES Associate Director Frank Joyce and CWM Chief Operating Officer Joyce Murphy.	(click to view larger photo) Award recipient Amanda Garrison, Marketing Analytics, is pictured with Marketing Communications Manager Rose Tedesco and CWM Chief Operating Officer Joyce Murphy.