August 4, 2026
Excellence Award Winner Says PALTmed Has Made Him a Better Doctor
By Ellen Mullally
William Dodd, MD, CMD, founded our organization and served as its first president in 1978. The Foundation for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care (PALTC) Medicine’s Excellence Award named for him—the William Dodd Founder’s Award for Distinguished Service—recognizes significant contributions to building PALTmed’s organizational strength, image, and mission by promoting the development of competent, compassionate, and committed health-care practitioners.
Thomas Lehner, MD, FAAFP, CMD, was the recipient of this prestigious award for 2026, and it’s easy to see why. He has more than 40 years of experience in primary care and PALTC medicine and is currently a medical director for Buckeye Health Plan and Gentiva Hospice. He has been a member of PALTmed (previously AMDA) since 1996 and has served on the Board of Directors and the Governance and Finance Committees. In addition, he is a past president of OMDA – The Ohio Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine and is the co-CMO of the Ohio Department of Aging’s R3AP Program.
But according to Daniel Haimowitz, MD, FACP, CMD, FPALTC, who nominated Dr. Lehner for the award, he is so much more than his resume. “What is Tom? He’s dependable, reliable, competent, and solid. You know that if he volunteers to do something, it’s going to get done. He’s a person who walks the walk,” he said in his nomination letter. “Sometimes I think he gets overlooked because of what he’s NOT. Tom isn’t flashy, doesn’t seek the limelight, and doesn’t call attention to himself. He’s like a ‘glue guy’ in sports, a person who’s the epitome of a team player, someone who always takes the right action when needed, who works harder than everyone else, and who makes sure the team is operating at its highest level. Every organization needs someone like this, who’s an asset to the team in all ways.”
As a PALTmed member for the past 30 years, Dr. Lehner says he is especially appreciative of the relationships he’s formed. As he explains, “I think that having colleagues who share their knowledge and their experience is amazing. The support that I've received from the organization over the years is immeasurable… It's made me better, and I really appreciate that.”
When asked to describe exactly how PALTmed has made him a better physician, Dr. Lehner is quick to answer: “From the education we get at the meetings, to the information they send out to us, and of course the interaction with colleagues, my membership in PALTmed has afforded me the opportunity to get the specialized intelligence that enables me to take better care of the very special patients we have in post-acute and long-term care.”
He also points out that the expertise he’s gained from PALTmed is very helpful in his day-to-day work with his health plan and hospice colleagues. “Because of my understanding of the long-term care universe, I can help us all be successful in taking care of these patients,” he explains. “And my involvement with PALTmed is always there. I draw from that experience every day when I get asked questions, or asked to solve a problem, or there's a concern.”
In addition, Dr. Lehner finds his experiences with PALTmed extremely valuable to his work with his state chapter. “I think it's important for us as leaders to take the work that they're doing at the national level and share it at the state level. It doesn't always trickle down unless we do that,” he notes. “And the other half of that equation is sharing what our state chapters are doing with the national organization. It goes both ways.”
Get more information about the Dodd Award, as well as the three other Foundation-supported Excellence Awards—Medical Director of the Year, Clinician of the Year, and the James Pattee Award for Excellence in Education—on the Foundation website. Nominations for the 2027 awards will open soon.
The Foundation depends on the generosity of its donors to support the Excellence Awards and other important programs. Learn more about donating.
Watch the video below to see Dr. Lehner discuss his award.
Ellen Mullally is PALTmed’s publications manager and the managing editor of Caring for the Ages.