The finalists for the 2025 OSF Innovator of the Year award are all Mission Partners who have:
- Initiated and advanced meaningful change that has positively impacted health care outcomes, patient care, operational efficiency or experience.
- Brought forward new ideas that are novel, creative, unique or groundbreaking that align with current health care trends and are sustainable over time.
- Gone above and beyond current duties and exhibited excellent leadership through collaboration that resulted in a meaningful transformation.
2025 Innovator of the Year
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Eric Martin, DO
Chief of Vascular Surgery, OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center
Dr. Martin pioneered a regenerative reconstruction technique using fish skin to salvage limbs previously deemed unsalvageable. His scientifically backed approach provides a reproducible alternative to amputation, offering patients improved mobility, function and quality of life.
Congratulations to Eric Martin, DO!
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Meet our Finalists
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Charles Aprahamian, MD
Pediatric Surgeon, OSF HealthCare Children’s Hospital of Illinois
Dr. Aprahamian enhanced surgical data analysis at OSF HealthCare by introducing Caresyntax, a scalable solution for improving patient outcomes and reducing waste. He is also known for being a champion of new approaches, identifying connections between variables that others may overlook.
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Dominique Dietz, LCSW
Director, Virtual Behavioral Health, OSF OnCall
Dominique led the launch of a digital-first behavioral health screening, including a text outreach program connecting Medicaid patients to a mobile app for mental health support. Her efforts have expanded outreach to over 2,000 patients weekly, ensuring timely intervention.
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Jake Mefford, PA
Clinical Director, OSF OnCall
Jake integrated artificial intelligence into OSF OnCall Urgent Care, implementing Intellivisit to enhance clinical decision-making, streamline documentation and improve patient throughput. His close collaboration with the startup led to over 400 system enhancements, ensuring the technology continues to evolve to meet urgent care needs.
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Harma Turbendian, MD
Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgeon, OSF Children’s Hospital of Illinois
Dr. Turbendian advanced pediatric heart care by developing a pulsatile Fontan conduit to improve blood flow and a heart simulator using artificial muscle technology for training and research. His innovations aim to enhance patient outcomes and surgical precision.
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Zackary VanKeulen, MSN, RN
Director of Emergency Services, OSF HealthCare Saint Paul Medical Center
Zackary drives innovation as the I-80 Innovation Hub liaison, creating a process for Mission Partners to turn ideas into solutions. His leadership has brought over a dozen projects and pilots to life, from supporting sexual assault survivors to improving medication adherence.
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Past Winners
2024
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Katie Willerton, OT
Occupational Therapist, OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center
Learn more
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2023
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John Wipfler, MD
Attending Physician, Emergency Department, OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center
Learn more
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