Congratulations to Philip Adler, M.D. who this week was honored by the Florida Hospital Association as one of just 10 people in the state to be given the Hospital Hero Award.

Colleagues describe Dr. Adler’s absolute commitment to children and their families as “un-tethered”.

Dr. Adler’s compassion for the most fragile in our community opened doors for all the minority patients in our community when he insisted that a hospital be integrate to save lives of premature babies back in 1964.

Dr. Adler has since become the benchmark for child advocacy.  His original practice, which was located across from the original St. Joseph’s Hospital, was the referral center for unfunded children who were discharged from the hospital’s emergency department because no one else would see these patients.

As the community grew, so did the need for its children to have a hospital of their own.  Despite many hurdles that often seemed insurmountable, Dr. Adler worked with his colleagues to push the effort.  Finally St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital became a reality.  A member of St. Joseph’s medical staff since 1958, Dr. Adler not only continues to practice medicine here, but also serves as vice-chairman of the board of St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital.

Reprinted by permission from St. Joseph’s-Baptist Health Care Chat News internal newsletter, October 19, 2007.  Dr. Adler practices out of HealthPoint Medical Group’s Westchase Pediatrics office.