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13 HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | NOVEMBER 1, 2021 CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE 2021 HEALTHCARE HEROES! The Hartford Business Journal & New Haven Biz would like to say HEALTHCARE HEROES AWARDS 2021 D r. Anand Sekaran has been a pediatric hospitalist at Connecticut Children's for over 15 years. He oversees a team of pediatric physicians who care for children from throughout the region, hospitalized for illnesses ranging from the routine to the complex. He believes in standardizing best care for all kids within our state and beyond. Q: Why is he a HealthCare Hero? Sekaran led the team that cared for hundreds of children admitted to the hospital with actual or suspected COVID-19. These physicians also identified children with a new post-COVID condition called Multisystem Inflammatory Disease in Children (MIS-C). Sekaran and his team took on personal risk without hesitation, with a singular focus on making these kids better. He and his team took on another pandemic related challenge — the increase in children admitted for behavioral health conditions. Throughout these challenging times, Sekaran displayed leadership which helped to ensure top-notch care while sharing our best practices with others. Q: How did you contribute to your organization's COVID-19 response? My largest goal has been to lead others effectively. The pandemic has given me a new appreciation for my colleagues. Facing fear and uncertainty at the start of this journey, my team demonstrated such bravery. We walked into those rooms (in full PPE!) and just focused on what we do best: Caring for sick children. S ilver Fern is a woman-owned, woman- led healthcare innovator. Silver Fern's mission is to unlock patient barriers and clinical insights, improve health outcomes and reduce costs through the application of evidence-based psychosocial and behavior diagnostics and real-time population data analytics. Q: Why is the organization a HealthCare Hero? Silver Fern has a commitment to changing the trajectory of chronic disease trends. COVID-19 has demonstrated the grave need for the healthcare system to invest in chronic disease prevention and support by building stronger, deeper relationships with patients and families, and by focusing more on daily behaviors and psychological, social and environmental factors that lead to chronic disease and impact long-term disease management. Silver Fern is the leader of this movement with its clinically proven approach and tools that help improve the quality of life and health outcomes of patients living with chronic diseases. Q: How did this organization contribute to the COVID-19 response? Throughout the pandemic, Silver Fern has used its blog and other publications to help the public understand the role that good health – for individuals and communities – has on preventing the worst outcomes of COVID. Silver Fern offers an assessment for COVID vaccine hesitancy and a program for long-COVID, to help organizations address these important issues. Dr. Anand K. Sekaran Employer: Connecticut Children's Medical Center Title: Division Chief and Medical Director, Inpatient Services Silver Fern Healthcare Top Executives: Colleen A. McGuire, CEO & Garry Welch, Chief Scientific Officer Winner Category: Physician Winner Category: Advancement in Healthcare - Prevention T he Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) is the leading organization accelerating a cure for each and every myeloma patient. The MMRF drives next-generation treatments to patients, uses data to deliver more precise treatments, and empowers patients with information and resources to extend their lives. Q: Why is the organization a HealthCare Hero? The MMRF is a leading cancer research foundation based in Norwalk with a disruptive-by-design approach that is driving new breakthroughs in precision medicine. Since its inception, myeloma survival rates have increased from three to 10 years. The MMRF has collected thousands of samples and tissues, opened nearly 100 clinical trials, and helped bring 15 FDA- approved therapies to market. Building on its legacy, the MMRF recently launched the MMRF CureCloud — a transformational insights engine powered by clinical and genomic data. Patients who enroll in the program are provided a personalized report so they can make more informed decisions about treatment options with their doctors. Q: How did your organization respond to COVID-19? We approached our mission with even greater urgency, providing patients information about COVID-19's potential impact. This work included updates and fielding questions from our community. We also adapted our approach to research to keep patients in clinical trials, including modifying dosing/scheduling where possible and shipping oral agents to patients' homes. The Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation Top Executive: Michael Andreini, President & CEO Winner Category: Advancement in Healthcare - Innovation