CDH Emergency Room Physician Receives Award

HOLYOKE — At the 118th annual meeting of the Cooley Dickinson Board of Trustees, staged late last month, R.F. Conway, M.D., medical director of the CDH Emergency Department, received the William E. Dwyer Award for Distinguished Service.

The Dwyer Award is given each year to recognize individuals whose service on behalf of CDH exemplifies loyalty, leadership, and dedication to improving the health of the community.

Conway joined the CDH medical staff in 1982 as the first physician board-certified in emergency medicine, and was the second full-time director of the CDH Emergency Department. Among his many accomplishments designed to improve emergency response services, Conway helped redefine pre-hospital care in Western Mass. by expanding emergency response services from basic level to paramedic level of care.

He organized and started the region’s first emergency physician’s council. This agency is now part of the Western Mass. EMS Region 1 Office of the Amergency Medical Services of the Mass. Department of Public Health. In 2002, Conway was named the city of Northampton’s Police Surgeon; he currently serves as the medical director of the Northampton Fire Department and many other area services.

“I started volunteering for different projects and saw results,” said Conway in receiving the award. “I concentrate my efforts locally and regionally because these efforts have a direct impact on where I live and work.”