AlanJBridgesMD

Summary

• Dr. Bridges received his MD from the University of Illinois College of Medicine and completed his residency, chief residency and rheumatology fellowship at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
  
  He retired as Chief of Staff at the Madison VA Hospital in January 2023. He is Distinguished Professor of Medicine and Pathology, Rheumatology Division, at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
  
  He has published more than 65 articles in peer-reviewed journals in the areas of rheumatoid arthritis, connective tissue disease, autoantibody testing, and quality improvement. He was a member of the COS Advisory Committee from 2010-23 and on the national Health Care Delivery Committee from 2012-23. His work on these committees has promoted change at VA hospitals across the country.
  
  He received teaching awards at three medical schools. He taught thousands of medical students and residents about rheumatology, immunology, patient safety and quality. He received the University of Wisconsin Department of Medicine Professionalism Award in 2004 and 2010.
  
  He was named Medical Commander for Covid-19 operations for the Great Lakes network in March 2020. He led seven hospitals and 25 clinics through the pandemic, including the VA’s fourth mission of caring for civilians. He was the initial author of the Moving Forward guidelines upon reopening VA hospitals across the country. His work taught thousands of providers and trainees how to safely see patients as the pandemic relaxed. For his work, he received the VHA Healthcare Executive of the Year in 2020. In 2021, he was named Distinguished Alumnus for the University of Illinois College of Medicine, Peoria. In 2021, he was named Distinguished Professor at the University of Wisconsin. In 2023, he received the Outstanding Achievement Award from Augustana College.