Dr. Edward J. Septimus: Impacting the lives of patients and advocacting public health issues

     To find a physician with as much experience, firsthand knowledge of medicine and personal plus professional determination as Dr. Edward J. Septimus, M.D., F.I.D.S.A, F.A.C.P, F.S.H.E.A. is a true rarity and an asset to the medical and public community. Throughout his 30 years of experience in the field of medicine, Dr. Septimus has impacted the lives of countless patients and has raised public awareness about numerous diseases and infections. Whether he is attending to patient needs, teaching the next generation of medical professionals, or serving as a proponent of prevention and health, Dr. Septimus does so with the upmost enthusiasm, expertise, and professionalism.  Dr. Septimus career commenced in 1972 with a M.D. from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and was followed by his postgraduate training, also at Baylor College of Medicine, in the areas of internal medicine and infectious diseases. He is Board Certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine and the American Board of Infectious Diseases.

      Currently, Dr. Septimus serves as the Medical Director of Infection Prevention and Epidemiology Clinical Services with HCA Healthcare System. In this role he is able to use his knowledge of hospital epidemiology and public health in order to work closely with fellow doctors, nurses, and patients to develop results that affect life’s for a positive future. In addition to his role with HCA he holds a faculty position as Clinical Professor at Texas A&M Medical School and Affiliate Professor, Distinguished Senior Fellow, School of Public Health, George Mason University.     

     Additionally, Dr. Septimus has helped to put both patients and the general public at ease through his exceptional understanding, and promotion of, public health. He has numerous articles published on medical issues that are of concern to the medical community. These articles include topics such as swineflu, the spread of superbugs, antibiotic resistance, infectious disease prevention, patient safety, and hospital regulation among many others. Besides his work as a doctor, teacher, and author; Dr. Septimus still manages to find the time to serve as a member of many prestigious professional organizations. He has just finished a three year term on the Board of Directors of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), and is on the IDSA Quality Improvement Task Force, and IDSA Antimicrobial Resistance Work Group. Dr. Septimus has also served on the IDSA Clinical Affairs Committee, IDSA Program Committee, and IDSA State and Regional Board including chair for two years. He was the first recipient of the IDSA Annual Clinician Award in 1993. He served on the Houston Medical Advisory Steering Committee on Terrorism and the MRSA Work Group for the Texas Department of Health and recently was appointed to the Infectious Diseases Workgroup for the Texas Department of Health and the FDA Anti-Infective Drug Advisory Group. He also serves on the Leading Practice Advisory Panel for VHA, the Board International Society for Antimicrobial Resistance, the SHEA/IDSA Antimicrobial Stewardship Task Force and the SHEA HCW Influenza Vaccine Working Group.

     Dr. Septimus is also an honored member of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiologists of America, American College of Physicians, American Society for Microbiology, Association for Professionals in Infection Control Epidemiology, American College of Healthcare Executives, American College of Physicians Executives, Society of Critical Care Medicine, Texas Infectious Diseases Society, Healthcare Information and Management Systems, and the American Medical Informatics Association.

     Furthermore, Dr. Septimus’ commitment to the field of medicine has not gone unnoticed. As a result of his expertise, professionalism, and dedication to public health issues, he has been honored with numerous awards. Dr. Septimus has been awarded the Outstanding Teaching Award 2009-2010; Award for Excellence 2006-2007 Montana Residency Program; AMA Physician Recognition Award 1980, 1983, 1986, 1989, 1992; UTHHSC, Best Fourth-Year Elective 1982, 1983, 1985, 1989, 1995; UTHHSC Residency Program; Outstanding Education Award 1983-1986; Physician of the Year, Memorial Southwest Hospital 1995; Alpha Epsilon Delta (Honorary Pre-Medical Society); and the President’s Scholarship Award, from his undergraduate alma matter, Ohio State University. With such an establish and well respected career, Dr Septimus could easily rest on his laurels, but his lifelong passion and quest to continue advocacy of public health issues motivates him to further pursue knowledge and experience to help others in every endeavor. With these goals in mind, it seems that he will easily accomplish any task set before him and continue to prosper as a trusted and talented medical professional