Dr. Michael S. Woods followed his father's footsteps into medicine, earning an M.D. from the University of Kansas. He completed residency training in general surgery at the University of Kansas, followed by a fellowship in hepatobiliary-pancreatic surgery at Virginia Mason Clinic in Seattle. Dr. Woods currently practices surgery at St. Vincent Regional Medical Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico. In addition to his patient care responsibilities, he is the Medical Director of the St. Vincent Surgical Group.
Dr. Woods is a recognized authority on physician personal leadership behavior and communication, patient satisfaction, physician-patient relationships, and novel strategies to reduce medical malpractice. Robert E. Quinn, the M.E. Tracy Collegiate Professor of Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management at the University of Michigan and author of Deep Change and Change the World, has noted that Dr. Woods's work in physician leadership "has the power to transform the medical system." Kevin Cashman, the CEO of LeaderSource® and author of Leadership from the Inside Out, notes Dr. Woods "provides the inspired vision and practical tools to create a more purposeful, healthy future for us all." His ideas to solve the problems in medical malpractice have been described as "a real breakthrough strategy."
Dr. Woods is the Founder and President of the Center for Physician Leadership (http://www.doctorslead.com), a Santa Fe-based center whose mission is to enable individuals and organizations to navigate to patient-centered excellence by promoting leadership and civility. Dr. Woods has an active speaking career, with clients through the United States. His clients have included the Department of Defense, U.S. Army Medical Command, American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, and the New York Northern Metropolitan Hospital Association.
In addition to Healing Words, Dr. Woods is the author of The DEPO Principle: Applying Personal Leadership Principles to Health Care, considered an authoritative assessment of the need for physician personal leadership in health care. He is currently revising and updating The DEPO Principle. Most recently he co-authored and edited Cultural Sensitivity: A Guidebook for Physicians & Healthcare Professionals with Geri-Ann Galanti, Ph.D., a recognized expert in medical anthropology. He has recently completed the development of a comprehensive training program to help organizations achieve Sustained Dynamic Excellence.
In addition to these publications, he has authored numerous articles on leadership development and risk management, and more than 20 peer-reviewed medical papers. He served as a resource for National Public Radio's This American Life's segment on apology in health care and has been interviewed by many popular publications, including Time and Self magazines.
Dr. Woods is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and a Member of the International Association of Protocol Consultants.
Dr. Woods may be contacted at mwoods@doctorslead.com or 505/603-8410.