The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) recently awarded the Arnold P. Gold Foundation Humanism in Medicine Award to Cornelius “Skip” Granai III, MD, director of the Program in Women’s Oncology at Women & Infants Hospital, a member of Care New England.
Dr. Granai is also a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University. He was presented the award at ACOG’s recent annual meeting. The Arnold P. Gold Foundation was established in 1988 by Arnold Gold, MD, Sandra Gold, EdD, and their colleagues at the Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons.
“Humanistic medical care is not simply compassion,” according to the group’s website. “It is the best of medicine. When skilled physicians build caring, trusting and collaborative relationships with patients, studies reveal more appropriate medical decisions, better patient adherence with treatment plans, and less costly health care outcomes.”
Dr. Granai earned his medical degree from the University of Vermont and completed his residency and a fellowship in gynecologic oncology at Tufts University. He is the founder of the International Health Foundation, which is dedicated to education and care in impoverished Caribbean countries.
An acclaimed international speaker, Dr. Granai’s honors include those from the Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics for teaching and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Cancer Society. He is an advocate for breast disease education, which is incorporated into the gynecologic oncology fellowship he directs, making it the first fellowship in the country to combine both fields.
“This prestigious honor is befitting a physician like Skip Granai,” says Maureen G. Phipps, MD, MPH, executive chief of obstetrics and gynecology at Care New England Health System, chair and Chace-Joukowsky professor in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology ad assistant dean for teaching and research in women’s health at the Alpert Medical School, and professor of epidemiology at the Brown University School of Public Health. “For decades, he has passionately advocated for a robust program to help women with cancer – not simply the treatments and protocols that can address the disease itself, but also the array of services women, their caregivers and family members need when they are going through a cancer diagnosis. His motto ‘What would you want done for your loved one under those circumstances’ should serve as a guide for everyone working with patients.”
In announcing the award, ACOG noted that Dr. Granai believes that, for the sake of their patients, physicians must remain “in the good fight.” To do this, they must avoid being demoralized by advocating for what they learn at the bedside is right for each patient and by remembering the “timeless values and privilege that brought them to medicine.”
Women interested in making an appointment with Dr. Granai or other providers with the Program in Women’s Oncology at Women & Infants can call (401) 453-7540.