Dr. Rod Tinney of Pine River Medical, received the Hometown Health Hero honor for his advocacy of immunizations. The honor is given to medical officials throughout Michigan who have made strides to improve the health of their communities. Winners are chosen by a coalition of public health organizations.

Joshua Meyerson, medical director for the Health Department of Northwest Michigan, called Tinney a true partner of public health.

“As the only pediatrician in Charlevoix County, he has an extremely busy practice, yet he works closely with the health department to assure his patients are enrolled in programs such as the WIC nutrition program and the Maternal Child Health program,” Meyerson said.

Meyerson also pointed to Tinney’s response to the H1N1 pandemic in the area.

“As soon as the H1N1 vaccine became available, Tinney was immunizing children,” said Meyerson. “The health department relies on physicians to help with community-wide vaccination campaigns and Dr. Tinney was working with us from the very beginning.”

Under Tinney’s leadership, the number of newborns at Charlevoix Area Hospital vaccinated against Hepatitis B increased from 52 percent in 2006 to 90 percent in 2009, the highest in Northern Michigan.