The Dr. William Hutchinson Award was established in 1982 to recognize distinguished contributions to health services in Sault Ste Marie and the District of Algoma.  Dr. Hutchinson was an esteemed local surgeon at Sault Area Hospital and a founding member of the Algoma District Health Council. The award is the responsibility of the Governance Committee of the Sault Area Hospital Board of Directors.

2022 Award Recipient

DR MALONEY - Hutchinson

Congratulations to the 2022 Dr. William Hutchinson Award Recipient – Dr. Robert Maloney!

These accomplishments and many more have improved the lives of patients and health care providers. We are fortunate to have Dr. Maloney in our community.

Dr. Robert Maloney was accepted into Medicine at McMaster University after two years of Undergraduate Studies and received a general license after a rotating internship. He then worked in the Huntsville Emergency Department before moving to Sault Ste. Marie in 1985. He joined the Group Health Centre and shortly thereafter became one of the first two full-time Emergency Department doctors in our city.

Dr. Maloney currently works at SAH, with the Addiction Medicine Consult Team, with the Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic, at the Rapid Access Addictions Medicine Clinic and at the Ontario Addictions Treatment Centre (OATC), where he provides treatment to patients with severe Opiate Use Disorder. Dr. Maloney is a humble, skilled, and gentle leader and physician. His strengths lie in mentorship, clinical excellence, remarkable bedside manner and program development. He has been instrumental in creating upwards of six important medical services in our city that have changed the lives of patients and medical providers alike across the Algoma District.

 

He has a skill for identifying marginalized populations and working diligently, often for free, to create systems that serve them. Dr. Maloney is a forward-thinking, kind and approachable physician. His entire career has been marked by innovation. He participated in the creation of Emergency Medicine as a specialty in Sault Ste. Marie and worked as a full-time emergency room physician for over eight years. Dr. Maloney was instrumental in creating the Orphaned Patient Clinic, Hospitalist Program, Addiction Medicine Consult Team, Rapid Access Addiction Medicine Clinic and Post-Acute Care Program.

Dr. Maloney has pushed forward novel care for those with addictions, including starting long-acting suboxone injections and macrodosing suboxone to stabilize individuals as quickly as possible. He has also created and carried the load of managing complex pain patients in our community for decades.

Dr. Maloney is a mentor and teacher for new colleagues and learners. He leads by example and inspires others to practice to the best of their ability. He fosters teamwork and develops partnerships within the many organizations in which he works. As well he has been a mentor and leader to many health care professionals within our community. Dr. Maloney has served in various volunteer capacities, including serving on the Steering Committee for the development of the Algoma Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic from 2006-2009.

He is a founding member of a musical comedy band called the Comedics. Over the past 25 years, this band has helped raise over two million dollars for a variety of good causes, mostly health care related. Dr. Maloney has approached this challenge with the same zest and zeal that he applies to the unmet medical needs of our community. In 2009, the Comedics were awarded the Sault Ste. Marie Medal of Merit in no small part due to Dr. Maloney’s efforts.

 

Past Dr. William Hutchinson Award Recipients

Nomination Information

  • The Nominee must have made a significant or distinguished contribution to health services in Sault Ste Marie or the District of Algoma through:
    • Innovation in Health Care Services
    • Volunteer Service
    • Community Involvement
    • Demonstrated Leadership Ability
    • Fostering of Teamwork and Partnerships
    • Work-related Excellence

  • Be a resident of Sault Ste. Marie or the District of Algoma

  • No member of the Board of Directors can either nominate or be nominated for either award

The deadline for submission is Friday, April 7, 2023 at 4:00 pm.

The Sault Area Hospital’s Governance Committee will review all nominations to make the selection.  All nominators and the recipient(s) will be notified of the Committee’s selection via letter after the May Board of Director’s meeting.

The award will be presented in the spring. Stay tuned for more information. 

To nominate a deserving individual, complete and submit the Dr. William Hutchinson Nomination Form

Online Nomination Form

For more information on the iCcare Awards, contact Patti Armstrong at ext. 3497 or email awardnominations@sah.on.ca