American Indian health program developed by award-winning prof

Arizona Daily Wildcat Dr. James Galloway, professor of medicine and a cardiologist at University Medical Center

Dr. James Galloway, a professor of medicine and a cardiologist at University Medical Center, received the honor from the Indian Health Service National Council of Clinical Directors.

The award honors a physician for his contributions to the health of individuals living on reservations.

"The award was given to me at a national presentation, and it was very touching because I was chosen by the directors - people I work with day in and day out - not some administrators," Galloway said.

Dr. Theresa Cullen, chairwoman of the National Council of Clinical Directors, nominated Galloway for the award. She said each member of the council is allowed to nominate one person, and then the council votes to decide who will receive the award.

"It was unusual that he won because he is a specialist, and it usually goes to general practitioners, but I nominated him because he pulled together this amazing program and he is very responsive to the need of the people," Cullen said.

Galloway said he has always been interested in American Indian tribes, and after completing his residency, he worked at a remote hospital for 12 years.

He came to the University of Arizona for its strong cardiology program, knowing he needed high-tech instruments to perform procedures that are not possible in rural areas.

While at the UA, Galloway developed the Southwest Native American Cardiology Program because he saw an alarming increase in cases of heart disease on reservations.

"I decided that we really needed physicians out there," he said. "We hold on-site clinics and refer people who need it down here. It is really working well."

The program is a combination of the efforts of the University Medical Association, the UA College of Medicine, the Tucson Veterans Affairs Medical Center and several reservations within the Indian Health Service. The program serves tribes in Arizona, Utah, Nevada and parts of New Mexico and California.

Galloway and his partner each spend a week each month on the reservations, and are on call the rest of the time.

Johnson Benally, who met Galloway after a triple-bypass operation in 1993, has been under the doctor's care since. Galloway visits Benally on the Navajo reservation in Windowrock, Ariz., to do his check-ups. Benally said the service and the fact that he doesn't have to come to Tucson has been wonderful.

"He's been a very helpful doctor. I would like to give him a medal or something," Benally said.

After seeing what Galloway was accomplishing with the cardiology program, tribal members started asking him if he could help them with other issues, such as teaching preventive health methods on the reservations.

To do this, Galloway developed and initiated the Program for Native American Health, run mostly through the Indian Health Service, but also partly through UMC and the UA.

This program, which began as a cardiology service, has expanded to include many aspects of health care and medicine.

"Right now, a lot of tribes are considering taking over their own health care systems, so we're also doing education programs on managed health care, such as HMO's," Galloway said.

He said the program is growing rapidly and includes a traditional healer on its staff.

Many of Galloway's efforts are organized through the Center for Native American Health at the UA Health Sciences Center. The center is a collaboration between the UA, UMC, Indian Health services and tribes in Arizona.

It provides services in Tucson and has an advisory council made up of American Indian tribal health leaders. The council determines a set of initiatives that the center then tries to implement, such as sending specialists to the reservations.

"Native Americans are some of the most under-benefited people in the nation," he said. "People just have to remember that this is done as a service to the Native American community, and not for any other reason."