( continued from page 35 ) join the team as Medical Director . A few months later , after Dr . Moyer moved into a different role , Dr . Howard was asked to serve in her place as Interim Director . He accepted and is currently serving as Interim Director and Chief Health Strategist , as well as Medical Director . In addition , he is also a full-time physician at Norton Healthcare where he practices as a general surgeon and focuses on a variety of issues including colon , skin and breast cancer , as well as gastroesophageal reflux disease and acute care surgeries .
“ I work with some amazing people at both places . But especially at the health department , I have an amazing staff with me , and we set a clear expectation of the way things need to work up the chain of command . That way when something gets to me , it ’ s normally pretty flushed out and I can make a decision . The bad thing is that what comes to me is never an easy decision . If they were easy , someone else would have made the decision .”
At the health department , he uses his surgical skills to guide his decision-making process and treats it like he would a complex patient .
“ I lead like a doctor . When I have a decision , I come up with a
differential diagnosis : here are the five things I think may be going on here . Then I make a treatment decision based on those differential diagnoses . That ’ s a plan of action . Then we put the patient on the monitor . If the patient isn ’ t getting better , we adjust our plan . That ’ s the same way I lead public health . We make a decision based on the best information available to us and if that decision doesn ’ t pan out , we made a mistake . We ’ re open and honest about it , and we readdress .”
On the surgical side , he loves that he didn ’ t go into a specific subspecialty as he had originally planned because it allows him to be that do-it-all physician that he grew up admiring .
“ I like that each patient can be very different from the next . My mentors were broad scope surgeons and that ’ s how I see myself as well . A lot of the things that other people will send to subspecialists , I ’ m more than happy to do myself . As long as I feel technically competent to do them , I am more than happy to take on tough patients and tough issues . What I find most gratifying is combining that with being there for them spiritually if they are so inclined .”
Spirituality is important to him and his wife . The two have been a part of Southeast Christian Church for years . Their faith and a
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