Alan S. Peterson, MD, is a highly regarded family medicine physician and champion for children and families across Lancaster County and beyond, Dr. Peterson retired in December 2013 as Lancaster General Health Director of Community and Environmental Medicine, Associate Director of the Family Medicine Residency Program, and family physician at Walter L. Aument Family Health Center. He will continue his role as preceptor at Walter L. Aument.
Throughout his career, Dr. Peterson was an outspoken advocate for public health initiatives such as tackling lead poisoning and immunizing children and adults
During his tenure at LG Health, Dr. Peterson served as medical director for the health system’s free immunization program, ChildProtect, and was a medical advisor to Lancaster County’s Immunization Coalition. In 2013, Dr. Peterson received the Pennsylvania Immunization Coalition’s 2013 Immunization Champion – Community Impact Award for his commitment to promoting immunization to children and adults in Lancaster County.
The numbers are telling. In the 22 years he was at the helm of ChildProtect, 72,000 children received free immunizations and 33,000 received free flu shots.
Dr. Peterson was one of only three individuals recognized nationally with The American Lung Association’s Volunteer Excellence Award. In fact, he was featured on the American Lung Association’s website, where his decades of advocacy work on behalf of public health initiatives such as immunization, radon testing and mitigation, healthy air policies, and smoking cessation are detailed.
In 2011, Dr. Peterson worked with Alice Yoder, LG Health’s Director of Community Health, to advocate for widespread testing for lead poisoning in children across Lancaster County and to educate families of the damage lead poisoning causes to children’s brains and nervous systems.
Dr. Peterson also has served on community boards and organizations, including the Edward Hand Medical Heritage Foundation, whose mission is to preserve and publicize the healing arts in Lancaster County.