Dr. Shurney cast a vision to diversify the medical workforce, support underrepresented-in-medicine clinicians with lifestyle medicine training, and make the specialty accessible to all patients.

CHESTERFIELD, Mo., Nov. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) has announced that Dexter Shurney, MD, MBA, MPH, DipABLM, FACLM, now serving in the role of Blue Zones, LLC, chief health officer, is the recipient of the medical professional organization's inaugural Health Equity Achieved through Lifestyle Medicine (HEAL) Award. Dr. Shurney was presented the award at ACLM's recent annual conference in Orlando, Florida.

The first-ever HEAL Award was established to honor an individual whose tireless dedication has significantly advanced health equity by leveraging the principles of lifestyle medicine—in particular, to address lifestyle-related chronic disease health disparities. This award recognizes an individual or organization committed to addressing disparities in health outcomes by promoting lifestyle medicine education and equitable access to lifestyle medicine clinical intervention. Dr. Shurney has dedicated his career and expertise to transforming health, lives, systems, and communities, helping to build a more just and equitably healthy society for all.

Dr. Shurney, who co-presented during the conference's closing session, is a population health innovator and lifestyle medicine pioneer. The through-line connecting his extensive leadership experience, including roles at Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Vanderbilt University, Healthways, Cummins Corporation, Adventist Health, and his current executive position at Blue Zones, is his role in championing health equity. No matter the title, Dr. Shurney, who also has non-profit leadership with ACLM, Health and Educational Relief, Population Health Alliance and National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions, among others, underscores his dedication to improving health outcomes for all patient populations.

As president of ACLM, Dr. Shurney dedicated his term to supporting ACLM's efforts to address chronic disease health disparities through lifestyle medicine solutions. During his presidency, ACLM convened the inaugural Health Disparities Solutions Summit, bringing together various stakeholders from the clinical and community sectors to devise a plan of action toward improving health outcomes for medically underserved communities facing barriers to accessing lifestyle medicine. In 2019, before Dr. Shurney completed his term as president, ACLM established the HEAL Initiative and awarded the inaugural cohort of HEAL Initiative scholars, underrepresented-in-medicine (UIM) clinicians eligible for needs-based funds to support training and certification in lifestyle medicine. Today, the HEAL Initiative is one of ACLM's largest member initiatives with more than 1,200 clinicians united to address health disparities with lifestyle medicine interventions. ACLM is gearing up to award the fifth cohort of HEAL Initiative scholars in 2025.

"As current co-chair of the HEAL Initiative, I am often reminded that this passionate group was once just a vision," said David Bowman, MD, DipABLM, who presented the award to Dr. Shurney. "Now, we meet regularly to discuss and highlight innovative ways clinicians all over the country are bringing lifestyle medicine to our nation's most underserved communities. Because of Dr. Shurney's 'yes' to advance health equity, lifestyle medicine is playing an integral role in addressing lifestyle-related chronic disease health disparities. There's still work to do, but with champions like Dr. Shurney and so many others that he's mobilized throughout his career, all patients, no matter their limitations or SDoH barriers, can have equitable access to lifestyle medicine."

About ACLM®
Serving as a transformation catalyst, disruptor of the status quo, and a galvanized force for change, the American College of Lifestyle Medicine is the nation's medical professional society advancing the field of lifestyle medicine as the foundation of a redesigned, value-based and equitable healthcare delivery system, essential to achieving the Quintuple Aim and whole person health. ACLM educates, equips and supports its members through quality, evidence-based education, certification and research to identify and eradicate the root cause of chronic disease, with the clinical outcome goal of health restoration as opposed to lifelong disease management.

Media Contact

Stacia Johnston, American College of Lifestyle Medicine, 7189747213, sjohnston@lifestylemedicine.org

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prweb.com/releases/american-college-of-lifestyle-medicine-honors-dr-dexter-shurney-with-inaugural-health-equity-award-for-his-dedication-to-improve-health-disparities-302311982.html

SOURCE American College of Lifestyle Medicine