Local physicians honor State Representative Ken Summers at a ceremony at Panorama Orthopedics in Golden.

Physicians representing the Colorado Medical Society and the Clear Creek Valley Medical Society gave State Rep. Ken Summers (R), the “Defensor del Paciente” (Defender of the Patient) award for exemplary service on behalf of the medical profession and the patients they serve.

Rep. Summer’s support and work on the Colorado Professional Review Bill, was instrumental in reauthorizing and modernizing the important body of law that allows physicians to engage in robust, honest review of the adverse outcomes with the aim of improving patient safety and preventing harm to patients.

“It is a great honor that a state representative from our community would be recognized both by local medical society and the Colorado Medical Society for exemplary service in the Colorado Legislature,” said CMS President Jan Kief, MD. “At a time when legislatures across the country are gridlocked in partisan wars, Rep. Summers uses his position to promote the interest of all Colorado Patients” Jan Kief, MD.

"I appreciate our legislator’s efforts to protect patient safety. We should all aim to keep Colorado the safest state in the nation for medical care," said Ranee Shanoi, MD, president of Clear Creek Valley Medical Society.

The “Defensor del Paciente” award is the highest honor available to a layperson from the Colorado Medical Society. The most recent recipients were State Representative Bob Gardner (R), Colorado Springs and State Senator Irene Aguilar (D) Denver. Theresa Marchetta, an award winning News Anchor and Investigative Reporter in Denver won the award in 2011 for exposing unscrupulous business practices that put the health and welfare of Coloradans and their families at risk.