Outstanding Public Service Award
Irl Hirsch, MD
For the past three decades, Irl Hirsch, MD, has dedicated his time to patient care, clinical research, teaching, and public service. His career can be summarized as promoting diabetes awareness to improve the lives of people with diabetes.
His public service started in the 1980s as a volunteer at the St. Louis Camp for children with diabetes. After moving to Seattle, Washington, in 1990, his community services expanded speaking for patient support groups and community education programs, including numerous yearly events such as the ADA EXPO, the JDRF patient forum, and the popular Taking Control of Your Diabetes. For endocrine fellows, he has co-chaired the Endocrine Society’s Fellowship Type 1 Diabetes program since its inception five years ago and has been a regular speaker for over a decade at Endocrine University. For endocrinologists in practice, he has been a regular speaker for the Endocrine Society’s CEU and its annual meeting, ENDO, in addition to plenary discussions at the ADA and AACE annual meetings. He has also been extremely active as a regular speaker for the ACP.
For the past three decades, Irl Hirsch, MD, has dedicated his time to patient care, clinical research, teaching, and public service. His career can be summarized as promoting diabetes awareness to improve the lives of people with diabetes.
Much of his public service activities have focused on ensuring patients with diabetes have access to their required supplies. In 1997, he testified for the State of Washington to ensure all insurance carriers provided blood glucose test strips for patients who receive insulin. In 2011, he testified to the Washington State Health Care Authority ensuring that children younger than age 19 received an adequate supply of glucose test strips. More recently, he has been on a national crusade to assist patients with receiving affordable insulin, and currently he is working with Washington State Medicaid to ensure access to continuous glucose monitoring.
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