Longtime educator and popular speaker, ACEP Past President Gregory L. Henry, MD, FACEP passed away Tuesday, Nov. 26 in his home state of Michigan. He was 77 years old.
Dr. Henry’s contributions to the emergency medicine specialty are legend. A renowned educator, he had a keen interest in improving patient safety and risk management and was a gifted storyteller with a unique ability to command an audience. Teaching was his passion and his love for emergency medicine was reflected in the energy and enthusiasm he brought to every presentation he made.
Serving as ACEP President from October 1995-96, Dr. Henry was an ACEP member since 1976, a Board of Directors member for eight years, and involved in many aspects of the College. At the Michigan College of Emergency Physicians, Dr. Henry held the positions of Councillor and Treasurer. He was also active on ACEP’s Government Affairs Committee and served as Chairman of ACEP’s Long Range Policy Committee. Dr. Henry was a representative for ACEP through the 'Brain Attack' working group at the National Institute of Health. In 1998, Dr. Henry was named the John G. Wiegenstein Leadership Award recipient for his outstanding contributions to the College.
“Like many of you I have very fond memories of Greg,” said Sandy Schneider, MD, FACEP, ACEP's Interim Executive Director and ACEP Past President (2010-11). “His command of both Latin and Greek, as well as classic literature were outstanding. And he had a propensity for quoting Shakespeare during Council debates!”
“Greg will be tremendously missed, and I say ‘vita bene vixit’ - a life well lived,” Dr. Schneider said.
Dr. Henry received his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan, and his medical degree from the University of Michigan Medical School in 1973.
He was a clinical emergency physician, staffing at several hospitals in the Ann Arbor, Michigan area, and for 21 years, he was the Chief of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Oakwood Hospital – Beyer Center in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Dr. Henry also served academically as Clinical Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Michigan Medical School in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Dr. Henry authored multiple articles and books throughout his career. He was a reviewer for Annals of Emergency Medicine, as well as other major journals in emergency medicine. He authored several books on neurologic disease and risk management in emergency medicine, and more than 70 textbook chapters and articles on a variety of emergency care topics.
A colorful and engaging speaker at ACEP’s Scientific Assembly and ED Directors Academy, among other educational conferences, Dr. Henry often spoke on health policy, risk management, neurologic disease and pain management. He was the winner of the inaugural ACEP Outstanding Speaker of the Year Award (1998-99). Dr. Henry also provided a monthly audio series called Risk Management Monthly, Emergency Medicine that dealt with all aspects of medical legal problems.
In addition to his ACEP work, Dr. Henry was a member of the American Medical Association and served as the emergency medicine representative to its Specialty Society Medical Liability Project. Dr. Henry sat on the Professional and Technical Advisory Committee of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations. He was a member of the Michigan State Medical Society, the Society of Academic Emergency Medicine, and the Washtenaw County Medical Society.
Dr. Henry’s passion and expertise in the field of risk management was beyond comparison. He served as a risk management consultant for numerous physician groups and hospitals throughout the United States, reviewing thousands of malpractice cases over three decades. He was the president and case manager of two emergency physician malpractice insurance companies.
Dr. Henry also played percussion in a jazz band, the Emergitones, with four other emergency physicians. They often played during receptions at various emergency medicine conferences.
The Celebration of Life for Gregory L. Henry, MD, FACEP will take place Sunday, January 12, 2025, at the University of Michigan League, 911 N. University, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109. Visiting hour with family will be at 1 p.m., followed with Remembrances at 2 p.m. More details are in his online obituary.
Additional Reading
As part of ACEP’s 50th Anniversary in 2018, ACEP Now featured an extensive Q and A interview with Dr. Henry to discuss key moments in ACEP’s history and to consider what might be in store for ACEP’s future.
Dr. Henry and the other Emergitones find similarities between practicing emergency medicine and performing in their jazz band in this ACEP Now article.
