St. Francis Health salutes pulmonologist for outstanding patient care

Dr. Imad Shawa (l) is presented with the Healing Hands

Award by Dr. Christopher "Topper" Doehring, vice president

of medical affairs.

INDIANAPOLIS  – Imad Shawa, MD, a member of Indiana Internal Medicine Consultants (IIMC) is the recipient of the Healing Hands Award, presented by Franciscan St. Francis Health.

With his colleagues, staff and others looking on, Shawa received the award today (Jan. 28) at Franciscan St. Francis Health’s south-side hospital. IIMC has an exclusive services provider agreement with Franciscan St. Francis.

Nominated for the award by a family member of a former hospital patient, Shawa was commended highly for his clinical expertise and the depth of compassion he brings bedside.

“The gift he has with his patients is not taught in medical school,” the family member wrote. He is the best example of all that St. Francis represents.”

Board-certified in pulmonary, critical care, internal medicine and sleep medicine, Shawa serves as medical director of the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit.

Shawa is joined by intensive and critical care nurses after the presentation.

He also several key leadership appointments with Franciscan St. Francis. He chairs the Internal Medicine Department; is vice chair of the Medicine Department; and is medical director of Critical Care Services and Pulmonary Services.

Before joining IIMC, he was deputy director of the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Environmental Medicine at the University of Missouri School of Medicine. He held appointments at the Harry S Truman Memorial Veterans Hospital, Moberly Regional Medical Center.

Shawa has amassed numerous awards throughout his career. He’s the recipient of the Edward N. Micon Teaching Award for Excellence in Instruction Quality Education at Franciscan St. Francis and received various academic accolades at the University of Missouri.  He holds memberships in the American College of Chest Physicians, American Thoracic Society, American Medical Association, American Academy of Sleep Medicine and Syrian Medical Association.

He earned his medical degree at the Damascus University School of Medicine and completed an internal medicine internship and residency at St. Barnabas Hospital in affiliation with Cornell Medical Center in New York City. He later completed a sleep medicine residency and fellowship at the University of Missouri.

Presented quarterly, the Healing Hands Award recognizes Franciscan St. Francis physicians for excellence in clinical skills, patient relations, research, stewardship and their reflection of the hospital’s health-care ministry, values and mission.