At the heart of regulatory reform: A doctor tempers public policy with diplomacy

Douglas L. Wood, MD, draws on problem-solving skills and cardiology training in his role as chair of the HHS regulatory reform panel.

By Markian Hawryluk, AMNews staff. Aug. 26, 2002.

The Nation is their Patient
Doctors serve America at all levels of government. This occasional series explores how their medical background influences what they do.

A few years ago, Medicare regulatory reform seemed about as likely as a Middle East peace accord. Perhaps that made Douglas L. Wood, MD, the perfect man to chair the Dept. of Health and Human Services' regulatory reform task force. Dr. Wood almost opted for a career in foreign policy.

His senior year in college, Dr. Wood was torn between medicine and foreign affairs. His interview with a State Dept. recruiter fell two weeks after his medical school interview. The medical school appointment went so well, he never even met with the State Dept. official.

Physicians and patients alike may be reaping the benefits of that decision. Dr. Wood has deftly led two high-profile efforts to relieve regulatory burdens for health care professionals.

He heads both the HHS advisory committee on regulatory reform and the American Medical Association's task force on Medicare evaluation and management codes.

The two panels are expected to release their recommendations this fall, and both hold significant promise for reducing doctors' Medicare burdens.

Dr. Wood's diplomatic talents are a prime reason why. "He's a consensus builder," said Nancy Nielsen, MD, PhD, a member of the regulatory reform committee.

This team approach has deep roots. Dr. Wood's interest in medicine came from seeing the strong contributions physicians made in his home town of Columbia, Mo. "I thought that was something I could aspire to -- the ability to give a lot to the community and others."

Dr. Wood began his medical training at the University of Missouri's Columbia School of Medicine, and then completed his graduate studies at the Mayo School of Medicine in 1983. [...]