Dr. Abe Bergman wins Scribner Award
Seattle pediatrician Abe Bergman, whose career has been devoted to practicing “political medicine,” is the winner of the third Scribner Courage in Health Care Award. The award is named for the “spiritual father” of Northwest Kidney Centers, Dr. Belding Scribner. The award is bestowed by First Choice Health and the Washington Academy of Family Physicians to honor health care professionals who have made an extraordinary contribution to the health of people in the Northwest by exhibiting personal courage.Dr. Bergman spent 35 years treating Seattle-area children, conducting research, and using the political process to improve public health.
His work resulted in important consumer and health legislation, including the Flammable Fabrics Act of 1967 (outlawing flammable pajamas for children), the Poison Prevention Act of 1970, the National Health Service Corps in 1972, the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Act of 1974, and the Indian Health Care Improvement Act of 1976. In addition, Dr. Bergman worked to fluoridate the City of Seattle’s water supply in 1968. He also worked with others to establish the Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic in 1970.
The award’s namesake, kidney dialysis pioneer Dr. Belding Scribner invented the “Scribner Shunt” in 1960. The device allows people with permanent kidney failure to receive lifesaving dialysis on an ongoing basis, thus avoiding the death sentence of organ failure. Dr. Scribner demonstrated courage in advocating for this innovative therapy that was not immediately accepted by the medical community. First Choice Health Chief Medical Director Dr. Ze’ev Young lauded this year’s recipient. “On behalf of kids and the underserved, Dr. Bergman demonstrated great courage in the policy world against significant opposition. He believes that we should not always be polite in the politics of the powerless.”
Adds Northwest Kidney Centers President and CEO Joyce F. Jackson, “One of Dr. Scribner’s lasting legacies was his advocacy to establish Northwest Kidney Centers, the world’s first out-of-hospital dialysis provider. Like Dr. Scribner, Dr. Bergman inspires those of us battling kidney disease to keep working for better services for our patients, even in the face of opposition.
First Choice Health is a regionally-based physician- and hospital-owned company that provides health care services to more than one million members in Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Idaho, and Montana. The company emphasizes quality care, public service, and using technology to benefit health care practitioners and patients.
The Washington Academy of Family Physicians is a member-driven organization committed to supporting Washington State family physicians in their efforts to provide optimal health care to the people of Washington State through education, advocacy, research, and political activism.