April 04, 2008

Carle Foundation Hospital names Lifetime Achievement/Legacy Award recipient

April 4, 2008 

Merrill W. Huffman, MD, of Urbana, was recently honored with the Lifetime Achievement/Legacy Award by Carle Foundation Hospital. The award is given to a physician that has left a lasting impression on Carle.

Dr. Huffman joined Carle Clinic Association in 1960 as its fourth obstetrics and gynecology physician. During his 36-year tenure, medicine underwent significant changes. He was one of the first Carle physicians to perform laparoscopy procedures and routine fetal monitoring on obstetric patients. He introduced the routine fetal monitoring technique to local physicians and nurses in 1971. He retired from practice in 1997.

In 1991, Dr. Huffman teamed with The Carle Development Foundation and introduced "Women at Midlife: The Merrill Huffman Education Series." This biennial community event features national and local experts focused on topics of interest to women at midlife.

Dr. Huffman served on The Carle Foundation Board of Trustees from 1989 to 1995, and is a former member of the Carle Clinic Pension and Benefits Committee. He also served on the The Carle Development Foundation Board of Trustees and is currently serving on the Foundation's New Heights Retired Physician Committee. He and his wife, Barbara, are members of the Margaret Carle Morris Society and significant donors to the hospital's neonatal and labor/delivery units.