ImageTrend Unveils the 2026 Hooley Award Recipients at Annual Connect Conference
At the recent ImageTrend Connect Conference, held in St. Paul, Minnesota, the company proudly revealed the winners of the highly anticipated 2026 Hooley Awards. These awards celebrate exemplary organizations and individuals spearheading innovative changes within the arenas of emergency response, public health, and healthcare systems. The Hooley Awards aim to recognize those who leverage data, collaboration, and innovation to enhance service delivery and outcomes for communities.
This year's awards featured a diverse group of finalists who were carefully selected from a competitive pool of nominations. Recognizing the significant impact of their projects, the awards were distributed across three focused categories: the Innovation Award, the New Frontier Award, and the Service Award.
The Innovation Award went to Connor Dunn from the Vermont Department of Health’s Office of EMS. Dunn was honored for his leadership on Vermont’s PREVENT initiative, which has transformed the state's response to substance use disorders. By utilizing structured electronic Patient Care Report (ePCR) data, PREVENT created a standardized approach to document opioid-related treatments and connect patients to long-term care options. This approach enables expedited referrals, coordinated follow-up care, and proactive outreach, transforming Emergency Medical Services (EMS) into an essential link between immediate responses and ongoing behavioral health care.
Other finalists in this category included:
The New Frontier Award was awarded to Scott Perryman and the Mobile Integrated Health (MIH) team at Sacramento Metro Fire Department. This award acknowledges their revolutionary MIH program that shifts the paradigm from traditional emergency department transport to delivering comprehensive healthcare directly in the field. By integrating paramedics with advanced practitioners, the team significantly reduces the number of patients that need to be transported, resolving roughly 70% of low-acuity calls at the scene. This innovative model not only enhances patient care but also alleviates pressure on emergency departments, exemplifying the effectiveness of community-based, data-driven healthcare solutions.
Finalists for the New Frontier Award included:
Finally, the Service Award was presented to Ben Kisner and the Milwaukee County Office of Emergency Management (OEM) for their efforts in creating a connected data ecosystem. This initiative effectively integrates insights from EMS, hospitals, and public health to facilitate real-world actions. Through standardized documentation and analytics, they have developed a comprehensive system enabling targeted interventions, such as mold remediation following floods and strategic overdose prevention efforts. Kisner's work exemplifies how interconnected data can enhance community resilience and improve health outcomes.
Finalists in the Service category included:
“The organizations we are recognizing aren’t just responding to change—they are redefining what's possible,” stated Patrick Sheahan, CEO and President of ImageTrend. He emphasized the importance of transforming real-time data into actionable outcomes, particularly in critical situations that affect patient care and community welfare.
Founded in 1998, ImageTrend dedicates itself to transforming incident data into actionable intelligence tailored for EMS, firefighting, and healthcare practitioners. Serving over 9,000 agencies, the company leverages its extensive insights and advanced analytics capabilities to help its clients enhance their operations and improve healthcare outcomes. Through its comprehensive software solutions and staunch support, ImageTrend empowers first responders to meet current challenges while preparing for future uncertainties.
Celebrating Innovations in Emergency Response
This year's awards featured a diverse group of finalists who were carefully selected from a competitive pool of nominations. Recognizing the significant impact of their projects, the awards were distributed across three focused categories: the Innovation Award, the New Frontier Award, and the Service Award.
Innovation Award
The Innovation Award went to Connor Dunn from the Vermont Department of Health’s Office of EMS. Dunn was honored for his leadership on Vermont’s PREVENT initiative, which has transformed the state's response to substance use disorders. By utilizing structured electronic Patient Care Report (ePCR) data, PREVENT created a standardized approach to document opioid-related treatments and connect patients to long-term care options. This approach enables expedited referrals, coordinated follow-up care, and proactive outreach, transforming Emergency Medical Services (EMS) into an essential link between immediate responses and ongoing behavioral health care.
Other finalists in this category included:
- - Amber Viitanen, State of Colorado
- - Eric Anderson
- - Kailey Peterson, Dane County Emergency Management
New Frontier Award
The New Frontier Award was awarded to Scott Perryman and the Mobile Integrated Health (MIH) team at Sacramento Metro Fire Department. This award acknowledges their revolutionary MIH program that shifts the paradigm from traditional emergency department transport to delivering comprehensive healthcare directly in the field. By integrating paramedics with advanced practitioners, the team significantly reduces the number of patients that need to be transported, resolving roughly 70% of low-acuity calls at the scene. This innovative model not only enhances patient care but also alleviates pressure on emergency departments, exemplifying the effectiveness of community-based, data-driven healthcare solutions.
Finalists for the New Frontier Award included:
- - Dan Pojar, Milwaukee County Office of Emergency Management
- - Marcus Bond, Medic Ambulance Service/Sonoma County Fire District EMS
Service Award
Finally, the Service Award was presented to Ben Kisner and the Milwaukee County Office of Emergency Management (OEM) for their efforts in creating a connected data ecosystem. This initiative effectively integrates insights from EMS, hospitals, and public health to facilitate real-world actions. Through standardized documentation and analytics, they have developed a comprehensive system enabling targeted interventions, such as mold remediation following floods and strategic overdose prevention efforts. Kisner's work exemplifies how interconnected data can enhance community resilience and improve health outcomes.
Finalists in the Service category included:
- - Laurent Repass, Orange County Emergency Medical Services
- - Christie Traczyk and Marc LeVoir, Allina Health EMS
- - Kelly Hilsabeck and Megan Anderson, Emplify Health System
Remarks from Leadership
“The organizations we are recognizing aren’t just responding to change—they are redefining what's possible,” stated Patrick Sheahan, CEO and President of ImageTrend. He emphasized the importance of transforming real-time data into actionable outcomes, particularly in critical situations that affect patient care and community welfare.
About ImageTrend
Founded in 1998, ImageTrend dedicates itself to transforming incident data into actionable intelligence tailored for EMS, firefighting, and healthcare practitioners. Serving over 9,000 agencies, the company leverages its extensive insights and advanced analytics capabilities to help its clients enhance their operations and improve healthcare outcomes. Through its comprehensive software solutions and staunch support, ImageTrend empowers first responders to meet current challenges while preparing for future uncertainties.
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