Talk about your journey from medical school to Texas Medical Association president. After graduating from University of Texas Medical Branch-Galveston (UTMB), I completed my pediatric residency at Children’s Hospital of Oklahoma. ... After five years in [a private general pediatric] practice, I was recruited to return to Children’s Hospital of Oklahoma as a faculty member in the department of pediatrics, where I served for five years. ... I was then recruited to Fort Worth to build an emergency department in the new Cook Children’s Medical Center. I served as medical director of emergency services for 15 years, then as medical director of urgent care centers and government affairs for five years. I was then recruited to be chief medical officer and executive vice president for medical affairs for Tarrant County Hospital District (John Peter Smith Health Network) where I served for five years. I then served as executive vice president of medical affairs and government relations for another two years. Since then, I am self-employed.
Talk about your connection to the Keller community. My wife of 47 years and I have lived in the Keller community for 33 years; we are members of First Baptist Church Keller, where I serve as a deacon, and we both serve as Bible study teachers. We raised two daughters through the Keller ISD system. Both are married, and we have three grandsons, ages 13, 6 and 8 months. My professional and practice life has been connected to Tarrant County Medical Society, where I am a past president, as well as through my work at Cook Children’s Medical Center and JPS Health Network.
How does your background help in your role as association president? TMA is a membership organization that serves all physicians and the patients they care for. ... My experience helps me better understand the origins of their concerns and frustrations. I am and will be a staunch supporter of—and advocate for—practicing physicians and for the sanctity of the relationship between patients and physicians, which is what both expect and deserve.
What does it mean to you to be the association’s 157th president? I am tremendously humbled and honored. I believe I am only the third pediatrician who has held this position. I believe my colleagues realize my involvement in advocacy and know that I will have their backs as they attempt to render the care their patients seek.
What are your top priorities in this new role? Because of the COVID-19 pandemic and physicians having to learn about the challenges we faced as it progressed, our physicians have experienced more public questioning and pushback than perhaps ever before. So, [my] priorities include: Rebuild trust with the public who sometimes felt misled by changes in COVID[-19] recommendations; rebuild trust and communication with our colleagues so we can speak with one voice about the common issues that plague practicing physicians and their patients; ... protect patients’ rights to seek needed care from their physician of choice and protect our rights as their physicians to address those needs using evidence-based practices without threats of investigation or civil or criminal penalties; and keep other entities from getting between patients and their physicians.
What are your hopes for the future of health care in Texas? I would like to provide affordable, accessible, appropriate health care for all Texans; allow patients to discuss any and all health care needs with their physician of choice without fear of investigation or civil or criminal penalty; have all children’s immunizations up to date; [and provide] fair pay for physicians’ health services for patients insured through Medicare and Medicaid to improve their access to care.
Editor's note: This post has been updated to correct an error. The Texas Medical Association has more than 56,000 members.
