ABOVE VIDEO: Director of the Brevard County Health Department, Dr. Heidar Heshmati has been singled out by many for his efforts to enhance the quality of healthcare not just on a local scale, but also nationally.
Serving Brevard For More Than Three Decades
A dedicated supporter of the Doctors’ Goodwill Foundation since its inception, Dr. Heidar Heshmati is the man with the pulse on Brevard’s healthcare.
The Doctors Goodwill Foundation, in collaboration with Space Coast Medicine & Active Living magazine, will present the Doctors’ Goodwill Foundation Ambassador Awards Gala on Saturday, Nov. 8, at the Melbourne Hilton Rialto.
Director of the Brevard County Health Department, Heshmati has been singled out by many for his efforts to enhance the quality of healthcare not just on a local scale, but also nationally.
As a tribute to his efforts serving the citizens of Brevard for more than three decades, the Board of County Commissioners in 2008 named the new Brevard County Health Department facility after Heshmati.
Under his leadership, Brevard has been top ranked in overall health among Florida’s nine largest metropolitan counties, according to a report by the University of South Florida.
A dedicated supporter of the Doctors’ Goodwill Foundation since its inception, Dr. Heidar Heshmati is the man with the pulse on Brevard’s healthcare.
The county has scored high marks for infectious disease prevention and treatment, fast treatment of sexually transmitted diseases, sexual assault elimination and response and for maternal and child health care.
Brevard is the only county in the United States to be recognized nationally with 13 Model Practice Awards by the National Association of County and City Health Officials, or NACCHO.
Among the awards, NACCHO praised Heshmati’s leadership in helping to establish an adult dental care clinic for indigent individuals. Staffed with volunteer dentists, the clinic provides emergency treatment for patients with acute pain and no other access to treatment.
Dr. Heidar Heshmati, right, was installed as the 2009 President of the Brevard County Medical Society by Dr. Glenn Bryan. (Space Coast Medicine & Active Living image)
Brevard County has also earned the Surgeon General Award for its school health program, which is staffed by the Health Department. The Health Department’s Primary Access to Health, or PATH, program, which partners with local hospitals to provide diagnostic, donated testing, is highly regarded on a national level.
Heshmati has repeatedly brokered partnerships in order to pool resources to provide quality medical care for those in need.
Because of Heshmati’s leadership, the Doctors’ Goodwill Foundation partnered with the Florida Department of Health to provide needed services, from flu shots and cancer screenings and treatment to dental care and primary care.
In total, more than 1,000 residents of the county have been touched by this cooperative effort.
CHIP OFF THE OLD BLOCK: Dr. Heidar Heshmati with his son, Nima, at his medical school graduation. (Image for Space Coast Medicine & Active Living)
Additionally, Heshmati provides valuable continuing medical education for issues such as infectious disease surveillance and mitigation, domestic violence and drug abuse.
In 2013, this consummate public servant received the Space Coast Medicine Humanitarian Award. A certificate of special Congressional recognition followed in 2014.The Brevard County Medical Society has honored Heshmati for his efforts to improve public health outcomes for all the residents of the county.
Among his many awards for distinguished service are kudos from the Centers for Disease Control, the Florida Department of Health, the Florida Medical Association, the Florida Public Health Association and the Davis Productivity Award.
SPACE COAST MEDICINE WEEK SET FOR NOV. 1– 8
EDITOR’S NOTE: The Doctors’ Goodwill Foundation has raised more than $1.7 million in support of charity thanks to the assistance of Dr. Heidar Heshmati and many generous and giving special people.
Those people, and their spirit of philanthropy, will be recognized and honored on Saturday, Nov. 8 at the Doctors’ Goodwill Foundation Ambassador Awards, which will be part of the nine-event “Space Coast Medicine Week,” produced annually by Brevard Productions, the event and production sister company of Space Coast Medicine & Active Living magazine and Space Coast Daily.
The Doctors’ Goodwill Foundation Ambassador Awards will be held at the Hilton Melbourne Rialto Place beginning at 6 p.m. with a meet and greet, followed by the dinner and awards program at 7 p.m.
DGF AMBASSADORS TO BE HONORED INCLUDE:
Rosanne Cain, BSN; Barbara Carter; Tim Cerullo, CEO, Wuesthoff; Dr. Arvind Dhople; Dr. Rachel Fornes; Nina Gadodia; Michael Haridopolos; Dr. Heidar Heshmati; Dr. Irfan Imami; Edwin Loftin, R.N., V.P. Parrish Medical Center; Astronaut Jon MacBride; Dr. Patricia Manning; Judge Alli Majeed; Dr. Ashok Shah; Mike Shah; Naren Shah; Mr. and Mrs. William Terry; Susan Tindall; Dr. David Weldon; Bruce Wolters and Vitas Hospice.
Parrish Medical Center with CEO George Mikitarian, will also be recognized and honored with a Doctors Goodwill Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award for their many years of support of the Doctors Goodwill Foundation charitable endeavors.
“The entire Doctors Goodwill Foundation board and community feels heartfelt gratitude to the people who contribute their time, resources and compassion to the charitable endeavors that we undertake,” said Dr. Kanti Bhalani, the Founder of the Doctors’ Goodwill Foundation.
“The Doctors’ Goodwill Foundation can only do what it does, thanks to the love and support that it’s friends provide. We feel it is important to recognize people who give of themselves and that is why we created the Doctors Goodwill Foundation Ambassador Awards.”
COMPELLING MULTIMEDIA TRIBUTE VIDEOS & STORIES
Stay tuned to SpaceCoastDaily.com and Space Coast Medicine & Active Living magazine for extensive multimedia coverage of each and every honoree, as we present their compelling charitable works through stories and special tribute films by Maverick Multimedia, Inc.
Don’t miss the Oct/Nov 2014 special edition of Space Coast Medicine & Active Living magazine for complete multimedia coverage of the Doctors’ Goodwill Foundation Ambassador Awards – and all the events of “Space Coast Medicine Week.”
For dinner reservations to the Doctors’ Goodwill Foundation Ambassador Awards call 321-749-1282. For sponsor or exhibitor information, call 321-323-4460 or 321- 615- 8111, or e-mail MaverickMultiMedia@gmail.com
