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Susan MacKinnon, M.D., Ripple Maker

Dr. Susan Mackinnon, Chief, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Shoenberg Professor of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery in the Department of Surgery at Washington University School of Medicine [USNews article] — the first female president in the 86 year history of the American Association of Plastic Surgeons [article] — specializes in nerve transplantation, peripheral nerve surgery, and plastic and reconstructive surgery. But if you ask her patients, they'll tell you she specializes in restoring hope. That's why she was highlighted in Tracks of Hope, on the page asking the rhetorical question of whether one person can make a difference. The answer, of course, is yes. Dr. Mackinnon made all the difference in the world to the daughter of our team members Linda and Tim Schaller, and to the bassist at our Concert for Hope celebrating the opening of The Stanford Center for the Study of Poverty and Inequality and the launch of inequality.com.

It benefits all of us when the decision is made to restore functionality, to get people back to living and working without disability. But because insurers never directly profit from these benefits (which are long-term) and DO directly experience the costs (which immediately affect their bottom line) there is no obvious incentive towards coverage. Sadly, limbs are often amputated rather than saved¹. There have been huge advances in knowledge, but best practices are not always applied, too few doctors have been taught the techniques to perform such nerve surgery, and not enough people know of its existence.

By perfecting these techniques , restoring functionality and hope, and empowering other doctors to do the same, Dr. Mackinnon is doing her part to change the way things are. Dr. MacKinnon's work is pioneering, innovative, and an example of best practices in health care. Access to health care is a social justice issue... See these related pages and ...help one, help many, create a ripple!

• Access to Health Care
• American Innovativeness
• Best Practices/Effectiveness
• Social Justice

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