Worcester Business Journal

12 Worcester Business Journal | November 27, 2023 | wbjournal.com F O C U S C H A M P I O N S O F H E A LT H C A R E Dr. Richard Ellison Hospital epidemiologist UMass Memorial Medical Center, in Worcester Education: Bachelor's degree in chemistry and reli- gion from University of Virginia; medical degree from Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia Why did you get into the healthcare field? I am a third-generation physician. My grandfather was a physician, my grandmother was a nurse, my father was a doctor, and my mother was a nurse. It felt like a natural fit, and I admired the work they had done. What is the future of health care? It's complicated. U.S. medicine in one sense is the best in the world for acute issues, but the big challenge is providing more in terms of public health. There needs to be more of a focus on public health and prevention. I worry we aren't any better prepared today for a new pandemic. P h ys i c i a n o f t h e Ye a r BY ISABEL TEHAN WBJ Staff Writer D r. Richard Ellison's career as an infectious disease investigator has spanned a handful of states over four decades, but nowhere has he made such a contribution as he has at UMass Memorial Health in Worcester, where he serves as hospital epidemiolo- gist at UMass Memorial Medical Center. Ellison has been in the infectious dis- ease field through multiple public health crises, including tuberculosis, HIV, and COVID-19. Along with a very large public health component, addressing the crises impacts individual patients. Hav- ing that impact has always mattered to Ellison as much as the big things. Pairing the two together is what has made the decades worthwhile. "I have always really loved being a caregiver. Impacting the community is what's always made it that much more fulfilling," Ellison said. Ellison has led the battle against infectious disease for 40+ years Ellison has spent much of his career researching how the human body fights disease, and how that knowledge can be applied to provide better care. In 1981, Ellison was a newly arrived fellow start- ing his career at the University of Colo- rado, where he worked closely with Dr. Martin Blaser, then a faculty member. "Research is based on trust. You have to trust who you are involved with. [Ellison] has 100% integrity," said Blaser, now director of the Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine at Rutgers University in New Jersey. Ellison is a member of what Blaser called a declining group of physician investigators who engage in both realms of medicine. at expertise in both areas has allowed Ellison to make connections and discoveries in what is a dynamic, ever-changing field of medicine. "He has made great connections over the years, putting two and two together to make a story with intention," said Blaser. His integrity has served him well through difficult times in American and global health challenges. Ellison has been at UMass Memo- rial since 1991 when he joined as an infectious disease specialist, amid the peak of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. e issue of stigmatization of disease was high and had a significant impact on the way work in the infectious disease space could be done. He has always focused on helping the community to under- stand diseases, he said, which in turn helps destigmatize them. Coming to UMass Memorial was a change-point in Ellison's career, he said, where he shied into a leadership role and has stayed that way since. He was regularly the hospital's spokesperson to the public throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as leading the health- care system through the crisis with a calm demeanor, using his expertise to serve as a cause for hope. roughout the COVID pandemic, the issue of stigma played a much lesser role than it did in Ellison's previous experiences with infectious disease, but COVID posed other issues. Resistance to the vaccine came as a surprise, with many actively resisting a measure to assist their individual protections as well as the overall health of the community. Ellison has been an educator through- out his career, informing the next gener- ation of physicians on how to tackle the ever-changing field of infectious disease medicine. It has been rewarding, he said, to see his students and mentees advance in their careers and become leaders in their own right. Finding rewarding aspect of medicine has helped him sustain longevity in his career, Ellison said. "You have to find a passion and really enjoy it," Ellison said. ough he has been at UMass Me- morial for more than 30 years, Ellison's involvement in the community has extended far beyond. He has been in- volved with the Massachusetts Depart- ment of Public Health as a panel chair and serves on its Hospital-Acquired Infections Technical Advisory Group, as well as previously serving as the pres- ident of the Massachusetts Infectious Disease Society. He has authored or contributed to dozens of peer-reviewed papers as a relied-upon voice in the field of infectious disease. H PHOTO | COURTESY OF UMASS MEMORIAL HEALTH

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