Wishard Medical-Legal Partnership Receives Public Health Award

The Wishard Medical-Legal Partnership for Patient Health, of which Baker & Daniels LLP was a co-founder, received a Preventive Medicine and Public Health Award from the Indiana Public Health Foundation at its 24th annual Indiana Premier Health Achievement Awards celebration on October 2.

The partnership was recognized for launching an initiative aimed at improving health care for children through an interdisciplinary approach utilizing the skills of doctors, lawyers, social workers and academics to improve the patient's health outcome. The process integrates resources for service to patients with health care needs requiring social solutions, understanding the patient's illness is sometimes complicated by problems that require more than what the typical health care provider independently can resolve.

The partnership puts into place a system of specialists, including pro bono lawyers, to advocate on behalf of the patient and intervene in circumstances that result in better long-term health for the patient. The award was given for implementing a comprehensive approach to practicing health care and providing Indianapolis citizens access to greater assistance with health problems that have social or economic roots.

Accepting the award were Lisa Harris, M.D., of Wishard Health Services; Tom Froehle, chair and chief executive partner at Baker & Daniels; and Enid Zwirn of the Indiana Health Advocacy Coalition. Other participants in the partnership are the Neighborhood Christian Legal Clinic and Indianapolis Legal Aid Society. Baker & Daniels is the first law firm to be recognized with a Hulman Health Achievement Award.

"We are very proud to play a role in creating Indiana's first medical-legal partnership," Froehle said. "As a law firm, we are committed to make a difference in our community, including through our various pro bono programs. The medical-legal partnership offers a unique opportunity for our lawyers to work with our clients and other professionals in the medical and public health fields to positively affect the lives of Hoosiers."

Founded in 1863, Baker & Daniels LLP is one of Indiana's largest law firms. With more than 370 lawyers and legal professionals, Baker & Daniels serves clients in regional, national and international transaction, regulatory and litigation matters from offices in Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, South Bend, Chicago, Washington, D.C. and Beijing.