Northern Arizona Healthcare (NAH) recently announced that Keith Hutchinson, MD, was awarded Flagstaff Medical Center’s (FMC) 2024 Nate Avery Physician of the Year award. The award aims to select a physician who not only excels at patient care, but who goes above and beyond patient experience and quality, and is an engaged member of the community. Dr. Hutchinson has worked in critical care medicine at FMC since 2015 and at Verde Valley Medical Center in Cottonwood since 2017. He is currently serving as medical director for the Medical Intensive Care Unit at both hospitals.
This distinguished award is named after Nate Avery, a neurosurgeon born and raised in Flagstaff who also practiced at FMC. Avery passed in 2012, leaving behind a legacy of kindness, empathy and giving. This legacy continues to influence the values and culture of NAH as it seeks to improve health and heal people.
“We are so proud to have presented this esteemed award to Dr. Hutchinson, an incredible provider who works tirelessly to care for the community and his peers,” said NAH Chief Medical Officer Derek Feuquay, MD. “His dedicated leadership brings comradery to the hospital staff, while also being an advocate for patients on a daily basis. Dr. Hutchinson’s amazing attitude and respect for colleagues has shown that he is the most deserving person to receive this year’s award,” Dr. Feuquay added.
Dr. Hutchinson earned his medical degree from the University New Mexico in Albuquerque and an undergraduate degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Colorado Boulder. He went on to complete a residency in internal medicine, as well as a critical care fellowship at the University of New Mexico. He is board certified in critical care medicine by the American Board of Internal Medicine.
FMC colleagues nominated providers who exemplify these values and submitted comments with their nominations. These nominations were reviewed by FMC medical staff members, including Chief of Staff Mark Lindstrom, DO; Secretary Robert Berger, MD; and Select Committee Chairmen John Marvel, DO and Jeremy Nielsen, MD.
NAH is committed to delivering high-quality health care close to home for the patients and communities we have the honor to serve. For more than 50 years, NAH has focused on improving health and healing people, and will continue to deliver excellent patient care in northern Arizona for the next 50 years.