Senate Resolution No. 5472

BY: Senator KENNEDY

HONORING Raul Vazquez, M.D. upon the occasion of
his designation as recipient of the President's
Award of Distinction by the Buffalo Branch NAACP

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that those who
enhance the quality of life in their community and have shown a long and
sustained commitment to the maintenance of high standards in their
profession, certainly have earned the recognition and applause of all
the citizens of this great Empire State; and

WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to honor
Raul Vazquez, M.D. upon the occasion of his designation as recipient of
the President's Award of Distinction by the Buffalo Branch NAACP, to be
celebrated on Saturday, June 9, 2018; and

WHEREAS, Raul Vazquez was born on January 12, 1963, in the South
Bronx, where he and his two younger brothers were raised by his mother;
as a young boy, he was inspired to become a physician after seeing the
distress language barriers caused his family during emergency room
visits; and

WHEREAS, The first in his family to graduate from high school, Raul
Vazquez received a Bachelor's degree in Biology from Fordham University
in 1985; he went on to earn his Medical degree from SUNY Buffalo in
1989; and

WHEREAS, Furthermore, from 1989 to 1992, this extraordinary man
completed his residency program at Deaconess and Buffalo General
Hospitals; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Raul Vazquez began his illustrious medical career at
Buffalo Columbus Hospital and Sheehan Memorial Hospital, specializing in
ambulatory services and emergency room medicine; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Raul Vazquez opened Urban Family Practice on Buffalo's
Lower West Side in 1996; he has since expanded the scope to include an
urgent care practice and has been designated a provider-led Medicaid
Health Home; and

WHEREAS, In 2016, the National Committee for Quality Assurance
(NCQA) announced that Urban Family Practice of Buffalo had received
level three NCQA Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH), the highest
degree of recognition available; and

WHEREAS, Recognizing the need for coordinated, person-centered care
for Medicaid recipients with multiple chronic medical conditions, Dr.
Raul Vazquez founded and incorporated the Greater Buffalo United
Accountable Healthcare Network (GBUAHN) in 2009; and

WHEREAS, Under the able leadership of Dr. Raul Vazquez, GBUAHN has
grown to serve several thousand members and employs a staff of

approximately 150 individuals; additionally, GBUAHN is one of the
largest minority employers in Western New York; and

WHEREAS, A true asset to society, Dr. Raul Vazquez co-founded the
Raul and Toni Vazquez Foundation, Inc. in 2008, to protect and enhance
the abilities of non-profit health care organizations to serve society
and their individual communities; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Raul Vazquez is also the founder of the Greater Buffalo
United Accountable Care Organization, an accountable care organization
that seeks to transform patient lives and communities with innovative
models of healthcare; and

WHEREAS, With a steadfast and unwavering commitment to his
community, Dr. Raul Vazquez has served on the board of directors for
numerous organizations, including Health Care Advisory Panel, Promesa
Inc., HEALTHeLINK, Upstate New York Transplant Services (UNYTS),
Hispanic United of Buffalo, The Buffalo and Erie County Public Library,
WNED Television, and Bryant & Stratton College; and

WHEREAS, He has also served as a member of the New York State
Medicaid Advisory Committee on the Minority Health Council; and

WHEREAS, An accomplished and well-loved member of the community, Dr.
Raul Vazquez has been the proud recipient of more than 20 awards for his
accomplishments in business, the medical field and advocacy groups; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Raul Vazquez lives in suburban Buffalo with his wife,
Toni, and his four children, Raul III, Nadia, Nina, and Saul; and

WHEREAS, Rare indeed is the impressive dedication shown by an
individual for the benefit of others which Raul Vazquez has displayed
throughout his life; and

WHEREAS, It has always been the objective of this Legislative Body
to honor and support those individuals who have displayed their
commitment to the betterment of their communities, and it is the intent
of this Legislative Body to inscribe upon its records, this tribute to
Raul Vazquez, that future generations may know and appreciate his
admirable character, his many benevolent deeds, and the respect and
esteem in which he is held by his peers; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor Raul Vazquez, M.D. upon the occasion of his designation as
recipient of the President's Award of Distinction by the Buffalo Branch
NAACP; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to Raul Vazquez, M.D.