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Outpatient Surgery
June 2022

DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION

Against All Odds

After an accident left Dr. Eugene Alford partially paralyzed,
the support of his colleagues helped him operate again.
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DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION

Inspiring Change
Activists are increasing representation in surgery and
creating environments where all patients and providers feel welcome.

I
t’s possible to make great strides in increas-
ing diversity, equity and inclusion in surgery
without the benefit of a national platform,
whether it’s returning to the OR after a trag-
ic accident, deciding to take on inequities in
patient care or paving the way forward for the next
generation of providers from underrepresented
communities. These five stories of grassroots suc-
cess show what’s possible when motivated individu-
als address healthcare disparities and increase
access to surgical care by taking the initiative, mak-
ing their voices heard and leading by example.

Living and Thriving With a Disability

The Sunday morning was like any other for Eugene
L. Alford, MD, except for a general sense of fore-
boding he couldn’t shake. Instead of joining his fam-
ily at church on that late December day in 2007, Dr.
Alford decided to hop on a tractor and mow the
pasture on his 86-acre farm west of Houston. When
he came upon a dead oak tree, he decided to use
the tractor’s frontend loader to remove the trunk
from his path. On his third attempt, the giant oak
snapped in half and pinned Dr. Alford against the
tractor’s steering wheel, crushing his spine and
immediately paralyzing him from the waist down. A
desperate cellphone call to his wife saved his life,
but Dr. Alford’s world had been shattered.

His return to the OR as a nationally known facial
plastic and reconstructive surgeon at Houston
Methodist Hospital didn’t seem possible — at least
initially. During a grueling rehab program and some
admittedly dark days, Dr. Alford began to think
about operating again.
“My biggest fear after the injury was who is the
world going to see? A paraplegic or a surgeon?” he
says. “It took me a while, a great deal of training and
the enthusiasm of occupational and physical thera-
pists for me to realize that the one thing I couldn’t
do was stand. My hands and brain still work.”
After 10 months of rehab and recuperation, he
returned to work at Houston Methodist in October
2008. His colleagues began to refer him patients.
“I’m not sure why — I think it was because they’re
my friends,” says Dr. Alford. “Once I was able to
demonstrate I could once again care for patients,
Houston Methodist
RESOLVED TO RETURN Dr. Alford, with his service dog Sam, is known for delivering
compassionate, patient-centered care.
my regular referral patterns returned.”
His first case back was a straightforward repair
of a broken nose suffered by the son of one of his
colleagues. He now operates in a power wheelchair
that can be adjusted into a standing position and
works at a surgical table with an unobtrusive base
that allows him to freely maneuver his chair around
the patient.
Dr. Alford focuses exclusively on facial plastic
and reconstructive surgeries and is booked two to
three months in advance. Most patients don’t think
twice about his disability.

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Dr. Alford’s return to full-time practice wouldn’t
have been possible without the overwhelming sup-
port he received from Houston Methodist, which he
calls a leader in accessibility for disabled staff and
patients. “The hospital’s leadership never said no,”
says Dr. Alford. “They applied processes to ensure
patient safety just like they would do for anyone
else. It was a fair, welcoming and encouraging envi-
ronment. Everyone was so accepting and support-
ive, and never made me feel like I couldn’t return.”
Laura Matthews, a human resource director at
Houston Methodist, says accommodating physi-
cians and employees with disabilities is a key part
of the hospital’s culture. When Dr. Alford returned
to work, the hospital’s leadership rebuilt an empty
office space to widen the hallways and doorways
and expand the exam rooms and his office, mak-
ing the entire space large enough to comfortably
accommodate his wheelchair. “He could continue
to see patients in a better work environment and
be more productive,” says Ms. Matthews. “It’s
worked out so well for him.”
Patients appreciate seeing Dr. Alford functioning
and practicing, according to Ms. Matthews. “It
speaks to them,” she says. “He can identify with
Taking Matters Into Their Own Hands
Tracey Dechert, MD, FACS, a trauma surgeon at
Boston Medical Center, has always had a keen
interest in equity in surgery and universally
equitable patient care. Despite these passions,
Dr. Dechert quickly discovered most people
falsely believe busy surgeons don’t care about
the broad social issues impacting the ORs in
which they operate. “I got tired of people believ-
ing this misconception, so I did something
about it,” she says.
In 2014, Dr. Dechert and a handful of other like-
minded healthcare professionals created Socially
Responsible Surgery (SRS), which has evolved into
a national organization with five chapters in four
states (sociallyresponsiblesurgery.org). The
group’s mission is to establish social responsibility
as a core value of surgical practice, efforts that
include equal access to surgical care, eliminating
individuals who are going through tough times.”
Dr. Alford isn’t the only one to benefit from
Houston Methodist’s workplace culture. One of the
hospital’s top orthopedic surgeons was paralyzed
after a serious bike accident and was eventually
able to return to work by teaching residents and
conducting virtual appointments with patients. “We
want employees to work in a capacity where they
feel empowered and don’t lose a sense of self,” says
Ms. Matthews.
An employee in the hospital’s research institute
is a paraplegic who has helped lead efforts to hold
job fairs specifically for individuals with disabilities.
“Creating a welcoming environment is what makes
us so good,” says Ms. Matthews.
Dr. Alford doesn’t embrace the attention he
receives because of his disability, but he realizes
the impact he can have on the lives of others who
are struggling to overcome physical limitations. “I
don’t think I’m important, but I realize I’m an
example of full acceptance for the disabled com-
munity,” he says. “I don’t like to be called an inspi-
ration. I demonstrate resilience and still put
patients first. That’s the most important thing.”
— Dan Cook
Boston Medical Center
SERVICE WITH A SMILE Members of Socially Responsible Surgery participate in numer-
ous charity events throughout the year, such as Winter Walk Boston, which raises funds
for the homeless.
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