WellMed CEO Dr. George Rapier III Named Physician Entrepreneur Of The Year

Sept. 14, 2009 - PRLog -- San Antonio, TX - Modern Physician, a leading online news and information source for healthcare executives and professionals, today named WellMed Medical Management Chairman and CEO Dr. George M. Rapier III the 2009 Physician Entrepreneur of the Year.

The award is designed “to recognize physicians who have made their mark on the business side of healthcare by introducing successful new products or services to the industry or by successfully leading or managing businesses serving the industry,” according to Dave Burda, editor of Modern Physician.

The announcement was made today at ModernPhysician.com and in Modern Healthcare, a weekly print publication widely read by healthcare executives and professionals across the nation.  To read the full feature article, go to ModernPhysician.com.

In a lengthy profile of Dr. Rapier, the magazine chronicled his nearly two decades of success. Dr. Rapier started a small medical group practice specializing in senior care in 1990 and turned it into an award-winning, diversified healthcare company with more than 1,300 employees in four states and $560 million in revenues reported at the end of 2008.

“I am honored to receive this recognition from Modern Physician,” Dr. Rapier said. “Thanks to our dedicated healthcare providers, their direct support staff, and hundreds of others who work in various roles behind the scenes at WellMed, we are coming closer, every day, to achieving our vision of changing the face of healthcare delivery for seniors.”

WellMed is the largest primary care provider for seniors in the San Antonio region. One in five Medicare-eligible seniors in this area is a WellMed patient, and more than half of all seniors on a Medicare (HMO) plan are with WellMed.

San Antonio leaders interviewed by Modern Physician praised Dr. Rapier’s accomplishments as a business leader, medical innovator and, particularly, his commitment to the community.

“I've had the good fortune to see a number of really capable entrepreneurs, and Dr. Rapier has been one of the most impressive,” said Former HUD Secretary and San Antonio Mayor Henry Cisneros. “WellMed is one of the larger and more successful healthcare providers in our community—it's well-respected, doing creative and innovative work, and growing, even beyond San Antonio.”

Dr. Fernando Guerra, Director of Health for the City of San Antonio, cited the decision to supplement influenza vaccinations in recent years through donations from the WellMed Charitable Foundation as an example of Dr. Rapier’s generosity and civic leadership.

“George is quite a hero in this community, and WellMed has set high standards for what a medical group should do,” Dr. Guerra said.

The honor is the latest for Dr. Rapier and WellMed.  The San Antonio Business Journal and Inc. magazine recently ranked WellMed among the fastest-growing private companies in the region and nation, respectively.  Inc. noted WellMed was a Top 100 fast-growth company in benchmark areas of overall revenue and gross dollar growth.

Dr. Rapier will be recognized as 2009 Physician Entrepreneur of the Year at the annual meeting of the Physician Hospitals of America in New Orleans on September 25th.

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About WellMed: WellMed Medical Management is a diversified healthcare company and health plan provider serving more than 80,000 patients and health plan members, mostly Medicare-eligible seniors in Texas, Florida, Arkansas and New Mexico. WellMed is an industry leader in medical risk management, highly effective disease management and chronic care programs, healthcare delivery services, and more.

WellMed is South Texas’ largest physician-owned practice management company, specializing in senior health care since 1990. With 30 medical clinics in Texas and Florida, the vision of the healthcare company and insurance provider is to change the face of healthcare delivery for seniors.