OKC Physician Dr. Mary Ann Bauman named Physician of the Year

The American Heart Association honored several leading volunteers, including one Oklahoman, at its annual Awards Luncheon in Dallas on June 27.

The Physician of the Year Award was presented to Mary Ann Bauman, M.D. The award is presented annually to a practicing physician who has rendered outstanding contributions to the accomplishment of the AHA's mission to build healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke.

Bauman, medical director for Women's Health and Community Relations at INTEGRIS Health, Inc., in Oklahoma City, was honored for her commitment to educating patients about cardiovascular disease risk and her service in multiple leadership roles, including as president of the association's SouthWest Affiliate.

Bauman volunteers for the Oklahoma City division of the American Heart Association as an enthusiastic supporter of diet and exercise to help Oklahomans prevent heart disease. She is also a News 9 contributor, answering viewer's health questions during her Daily Dose segment on News 9 at Noon.

Watch Dr. Bauman's Daily Dose segments here or ask a question yourself!

In Oklahoma, the statistics are particularly frightening. A third of Oklahoma's young people are obese, a quarter of Oklahomans smoke, and very few Oklahomans have a diet low in saturated fats.

According to the American Heart Association, Bauman incorporates heart-healthy lifestyles into her volunteer work with the AHA and also with her patients every day.