Susan Crowley, MD, MBA, was awarded the National Kidney Foundation’s (NKF) highest honor, the David M. Hume Memorial Award. This award is given to the scientist-clinician whose work in kidney and urologic diseases exemplifies the highest ideals of both scholarship and humanism.
“I was completely humbled by this announcement, and was, quite frankly, at a loss for words. Dr. Hume was a world renown surgical pioneer in renal transplantation. I, on the other hand, am a nephrology clinician. The connection eluded me, but I happily discovered we had a kinship in our mutual military experiences and in contributing to the development of learning health systems that advance the state of the science of kidney care,” said Crowley.
A veteran herself, Crowley now serves as the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Executive Director for Kidney Medicine Program. Here, she spearheads the development of clinical programs and policies in nephrology for the largest integrated healthcare system in the U.S. In addition to her work as program director, she also serves as chairperson of the VHA Kidney Health Committee, where she collaborates with a diverse web of healthcare specialists to inform evidence-based healthcare policies on dialysis services and preventative kidney health.
She also is the kidney medicine section chief of the Veteran Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System. In her time as chief, she has expanded the diversity of clinical nephrology services available for veterans, conducted clinical trials to discern best practices in the care of Veterans with kidney disease, and proposed a national strategic plan to improve prevention, early recognition, and management of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in VA medical facilities.
“I am grateful to the National Kidney Foundation for its support throughout my career and am deeply honored to be the recipient of the David M. Hume Award,” continued Crowley.