IHS Emergency Medical Services Coordinator Receives Prestigious National Award for Service to Safety
David R. Boyd, M.D., FACS, the Indian Health Service (IHS) Emergency Medical Services Coordinator with the IHS, an agency in the Department of Health and Human Services, was awarded the 2006 National Safety Council Surgeons’ Award for Service to Safety. The award was presented to Dr. Boyd by Drs. John J. Fildes and David V. Feliciano at the recent American College of Surgeons’ 92nd Clinical Congress in Chicago, Illinois.
Dr. Boyd was recognized for his visionary national leadership in trauma systems development, trauma care, and his lifelong commitment to the care of trauma patients, prevention of injuries and development of systems.
“The Indian Health Service is extremely proud and honored to have Dr. Boyd selected for this prestigious award,” said IHS Director Charles W. Grim, D.D.S., M.H.S.A. “This award is the highest professional award given in the field of trauma. Dr. Boyd’s commitment and quality of work has benefited many American Indians and Alaska Natives by improving trauma care and emergency medical services systems in Indian country.”
Dr. Boyd is a general surgeon with 25 years experience in the Federal Government. Prior to accepting a position as the IHS Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Coordinator in the IHS Headquarters office in Rockville, Maryland, he served as a general surgeon and Clinical Director at the Blackfeet Community Hospital (BCH) in Browning, Montana. Through his initiative the BCH and was awarded a $1.2 million AmeriCorps grant that was oriented to education and involvement for the prevention of alcohol-related motor vehicle accidents (MVA) and injuries in the young. This program was effective in reducing MVA injuries and deaths on the Blackfeet Reservation.
In 1972, Dr. Boyd provided Congressional testimony on the need for a National Emergency Medical Services System. He wrote the clinically relevant parts of the EMS Systems Act of 1973, Public Law 93-154. Dr. Boyd was appointed the National Director of the Office of EMSS in the Public Health Service, Department of Health and Human Services, where he established a lead agency for Trauma and EMS systems in every state and many local public health departments. He also established and worked for eight years in a private EMSS consulting firm working with domestic and international clients.
Dr. Boyd has published over 110 scientific articles on Trauma, Shock and Trauma/EMS Systems, including a textbook on EMS. Included in his many honors is the Distinguished Career Award from the American Public Health Association.
Dr. Boyd earned a bachelors of arts and science degree from Central Washington College of Education in Ellensburg, Washington, and his medical degree from McGill University in Montreal, PQ, Canada, graduating MDCM in 1963.
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