OU Medicine Enterprise Quality Officer Honored By Good Shepherd

Good Shepherd Clinic recently presented its Hope Award to Dale Bratzler, D.O., MPH, OU Medicine enterprise quality officer, in recognition of his work as a clinic volunteer. To honor his legacy, the Hope Award will become an annual event in Bratzler's name, with proceeds placed in the Dale Bratzler, DO, MPH Endowment Fund.

The Good Shepherd Clinic in Oklahoma City is a free, full-time clinic serving uninsured residents of the community. The clinic offers medical and dental services, provided by healthcare professionals who donate their time and skills to ensure that financial concerns do not become barriers to receiving care in a timely manner.

Bratzler began volunteering at Good Shepherd in 2015, believing that healthcare should be available to all members of the community, beyond the emergency room and regardless of ability to pay. As a result of Bratzler's persistence, the Unity Clinic will launch early in 2020. This initiative will use campus-wide, interprofessional teams of healthcare providers, faculty and students from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, to provide patient care in partnership with Good Shepherd.

Pam Timmons, executive director of Good Shepherd, described volunteers as the heartbeat of fulfilling the clinic's mission. She commended Bratzler's charitable efforts, his contributions that have enriched a community desperate for quality healthcare, as well as his leadership and commitment to inspiring and educating the next generation of healthcare professionals.

"We can't begin to say how grateful we are for all of the selfless acts of kindness Dr. Bratzler has provided through the years. His commitment just continues to grow," Timmons said.

The endowment in Bratzler's name will help the clinic thrive and become more financially sustainable. Endowment funds will be matched at five cents ($0.05) for each dollar processed, by Communities Foundation of Oklahoma - up to a maximum of $50,000 in any given year. This designated fund will generate annual income in perpetuity from the earned investment income to help secure the future of Good Shepherd.

Timmons said, "Dr. Bratzler's legacy of providing high quality health care for the underserved will continue by his encouragement and empowerment of the next generation of health professionals."