Beaumont Hospitals honored the achievements of seven physicians by presenting Outstanding Doctors Awards on July 26.
“The physicians we honored with these awards truly exemplify a ‘Beaumont Doctor’,” says Ananias Diokno, M.D., executive vice president and chief medical officer of Beaumont Hospitals. “Their commitment to excellence in medicine is evident every day in their medical practices, research, academics, leadership style and philanthropic pursuits.”
George “Chuck” Costea, D.O., received the Outstanding Physician and Humanitarian Award for his work as medical director of Cass Community Free Medical Clinic in Detroit’s Cass Corridor. The Cass Clinic served as a teaching facility for Dr. Costea’s medical trainees. Lacking lab and diagnostic equipment, the clinic required students to learn fundamental diagnostic skills and to practice “street medicine,” according to Dr. Costea. He has received numerous awards for his charitable contributions, including the Distinguished Service Award from Wayne State University in 1994; a Recognition for Volunteer Work in the Community from the Michigan State Medical Society in 1999; an Award of Appreciation from WSU School of Medicine’s department of Family Medicine in 2008; and a Distinguished Service Award from Beaumont Hospital, Grosse Pointe in 2008. He has been affiliated with Beaumont, Grosse Pointe, (formerly Bon Secours Hospital) for 31 years.
Jay W. Eastman, M.D., a Beaumont pediatrician, received the Outstanding Physician and Humanitarian Award for his commitment and involvement with Rotary. Since 2002, Dr. Eastman has participated in regular medical missions to a remote, mountainous area of Guatemala. He provides medical care and trains midwives and village health promoters. He has also taken part in medical missions to Brazil, India and the Marshall Islands, organizing fundraising events benefitting the organization supporting the missions. Dr. Eastman is involved in a literacy project for children called Reach Out and Read. He promotes this project to patients at his private practice and uses UNICEF funding to bring books to Guatemala. Dr. Eastman has been a Beaumont doctor for 38 years.
Renato G. Ramos, M.D., cardiologist and co-director of the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory at Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, received the Outstanding Medical Education and Teaching Award. Dr. Ramos’ research activities include hundreds of medical journal articles, presentations, abstracts and textbook chapters. He has served as principal investigator for National Institutes of Health studies. His work extends beyond Beaumont’s walls, reaching remote villages in the Philippines, where he participated in six medical missions. He has been active in the Oakland County Medical Society since 1977 and the American Heart Association of Michigan since 1976, serving as president of the AHA’s Metropolitan Detroit Board of Trustees. In 1991 Dr. Ramos founded Beaumont’s annual cardiovascular conference held in Beaver Creek, Colo., now a nationally acclaimed event. Dr. Ramos has been a Beaumont doctor for 42 years.
Michael Trese, M.D., chief, Pediatric and Adult Vitreoretinal Surgery, Beaumont, Royal Oak, received the Outstanding Medical Research Award. Dr. Trese is an international authority on retinopathy of prematurity and pediatric retinal disease. He developed innovative treatment techniques to help preserve eyesight in infants and children with these debilitating conditions. His basic science and clinical research in retinopathy is well recognized at the NIH, receiving sustained funding for many years. He has spoken internationally, delivered several named lectureships and has published more than 230 papers in peer-reviewed journals. In 1990, Dr. Trese founded ROPARD, the Association for Retinopathy of Prematurity and Related Diseases. His goal was to fund clinical and basic research to prevent and treat pediatric retinal diseases. Dr. Trese has been a Beaumont doctor for 28 years.
Mark D. Kolins, M.D., corporate chair, Laboratory Services, Beaumont Hospitals, received the Outstanding Medical Staff Leadership Award. Dr. Kolins has served in a variety of roles in hospital and medical administration and in professional associations. He was chief resident during his Anatomic and Clinical Pathology residency at Beaumont. He was elected president of the Michigan Association of Blood Banks, the Michigan Society of Pathologists and the Oakland County Medical Society. He served for many years on the Michigan State Medical Society Board of Directors and with the American Association of Blood Banks and the Wayne County Medical Society. Dr. Kolins has taught in the Pathology department at Wayne State University since 1985. In 1993, he became vice chief of Laboratories and medical director of the Blood Bank at Beaumont Hospital, Troy. In 2000 he became chief of Laboratories, and in 2006 he was appointed chief of Clinical Pathology at Beaumont, Royal Oak and medical director of Beaumont Reference Laboratory. Dr. Kolins was certified as a “physician executive” by the American College of Physician Executives in 2005 and was inducted as a fellow in 2009.
George Williams, M.D., chair, Ophthalmology, Beaumont, Royal Oak, was honored with the Outstanding Academic Excellence Award. Dr. Williams is a world-renowned clinical ophthalmologist, researcher and academician. During his career, he has been principal investigator or co-investigator on nearly four-dozen studies, including NIH and National Eye Institute-funded research. He has 136 published articles, 80 published articles from clinical trials, has written 29 book chapters and letters and dozens of presentations. He is chair and clinical professor of Ophthalmology at the Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine and professor of Biomedical Sciences at the Eye Research Institute of Oakland University. He won the Margherio Resident Teaching Award at Beaumont in 2007. He is also a professor at the European School for Advanced Studies in Ophthalmology in Lugano, Switzerland. Dr. Williams has been a Beaumont doctor for 22 years.
Brian H. Annex, M.D., former Beaumont interventional cardiology fellow, received the Outstanding Beaumont Alumni Award. Dr. Annex earned his medical degree from Yale University School of Medicine. He did an internship and residency at Tufts-New England Medical Center. He completed a fellowship in cardiology at Duke University School of Medicine and an interventional cardiology fellowship at Beaumont. He returned to Duke University and rose through the ranks to professor of Cardiology, vice chief for Academic Affairs, vice chief for Research, and director of Vascular Medicine. In 2008, he was recruited by the University of Virginia to be chief of Cardiovascular Medicine and George A.
Beller, M.D./Lantheus Medical Imaging Distinguished Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine, a position he currently holds. He has published 92 peer-reviewed papers and ten book chapters and has presented nationally and internationally. Dr. Annex served as a member of the NIH Study Section on Clinical and Integrative Cardiovascular Sciences prior to becoming chair. His research has focused on peripheral arterial disease including the development of novel diagnostic and treatments such as gene and cell therapies that promote blood vessel growth in patients with PAD, as well as the genetics of PAD.
