WVU Healthcare honors Dr. Harakh Dedhia
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Harakh Dedhia, M.D., has dedicated his medical career to putting his patients first, a commitment he has shared with his colleagues for more than 30 years.
On Friday, WVU Healthcare honored Dr. Dedhia with a ceremony marking his service to the Ruby Memorial Hospital Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU). WVU Hospitals President and CEO Bruce McClymonds unveiled a placard that will be permanently installed in the MICU.
“We have much to be proud of in the last 25 years at Ruby Memorial Hospital, including our reputation as the hospital to turn to when faced with trauma, stroke or serious injury,” McClymonds said. “All of those key services are connected by one thing: a world-class critical care team. Dr. Dedhia has been the leader of that team throughout the existence of the hospital and even before Ruby was built as the ICU director in the former University Hospital.”
Dedhia retired from his position as MICU medical director in December 2012. He was also a specialist in WVU Healthcare’s Pulmonology Department and a professor in the WVU School of Medicine Department of Medicine, Section of Pulmonary and Critical Care.
“Dr. Dedhia brought sophisticated, multi-faceted MICU care to West Virginia,” James Brick, M.D., E.B. Flink Professor and chairman of the WVU Department of Medicine, said. “It's very uncommon for one event to make a big difference in an institution this large and complex, but when Dr. Dedhia came here, he made such a difference.”
The most significant change that Dedhia made when he started at WVU in 1979 was encouraging anyone – whether a nurse, medical student, resident, fellow or house staff member – with a question to ask it.
“From the beginning, I wanted them to ask me questions about medicine and patient care,” Dedhia said. “That’s something that continued when we moved to Ruby. Nurses would call in the middle of the night and wake me up to answer questions. I would never get mad.”
Dedhia said before he became MICU medical director, nurses were often afraid to ask physicians questions. “We are here to teach people,” he added. “By teaching people and paying attention to them, they become more educated and can provide better patient care.”
Throughout his career, Dedhia has trained 40 fellows in pulmonary medicine and has traveled across West Virginia to provide continuing medical education. He enjoys focusing on patient care, sharing his passion for education with others.
“The patient comes first,” he said. “Everything else is secondary.”
Photo caption:
WVU Healthcare honors Harakh Dedhia, M.D., center, for his years of service to Ruby Memorial Hospital. From left are Francis Boyle, Ruby Memorial Hospital Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU) nurse manager and critical care nurse; Jack Parker, M.D., professor and chief of the WVU Section of Pulmonary and Critical Care; Dr. Dedhia, retired MICU medical director; Bruce McClymonds, WVU Hospitals president and CEO; and Jerry Yoho, MICU director.
On Friday, WVU Healthcare honored Dr. Dedhia with a ceremony marking his service to the Ruby Memorial Hospital Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU). WVU Hospitals President and CEO Bruce McClymonds unveiled a placard that will be permanently installed in the MICU.
“We have much to be proud of in the last 25 years at Ruby Memorial Hospital, including our reputation as the hospital to turn to when faced with trauma, stroke or serious injury,” McClymonds said. “All of those key services are connected by one thing: a world-class critical care team. Dr. Dedhia has been the leader of that team throughout the existence of the hospital and even before Ruby was built as the ICU director in the former University Hospital.”
Dedhia retired from his position as MICU medical director in December 2012. He was also a specialist in WVU Healthcare’s Pulmonology Department and a professor in the WVU School of Medicine Department of Medicine, Section of Pulmonary and Critical Care.
“Dr. Dedhia brought sophisticated, multi-faceted MICU care to West Virginia,” James Brick, M.D., E.B. Flink Professor and chairman of the WVU Department of Medicine, said. “It's very uncommon for one event to make a big difference in an institution this large and complex, but when Dr. Dedhia came here, he made such a difference.”
The most significant change that Dedhia made when he started at WVU in 1979 was encouraging anyone – whether a nurse, medical student, resident, fellow or house staff member – with a question to ask it.
“From the beginning, I wanted them to ask me questions about medicine and patient care,” Dedhia said. “That’s something that continued when we moved to Ruby. Nurses would call in the middle of the night and wake me up to answer questions. I would never get mad.”
Dedhia said before he became MICU medical director, nurses were often afraid to ask physicians questions. “We are here to teach people,” he added. “By teaching people and paying attention to them, they become more educated and can provide better patient care.”
Throughout his career, Dedhia has trained 40 fellows in pulmonary medicine and has traveled across West Virginia to provide continuing medical education. He enjoys focusing on patient care, sharing his passion for education with others.
“The patient comes first,” he said. “Everything else is secondary.”
Photo caption:
WVU Healthcare honors Harakh Dedhia, M.D., center, for his years of service to Ruby Memorial Hospital. From left are Francis Boyle, Ruby Memorial Hospital Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU) nurse manager and critical care nurse; Jack Parker, M.D., professor and chief of the WVU Section of Pulmonary and Critical Care; Dr. Dedhia, retired MICU medical director; Bruce McClymonds, WVU Hospitals president and CEO; and Jerry Yoho, MICU director.