Emily L. Sedgwick, MD
Emily L. Sedgwick, MD, Associate Professor of Breast Imaging in the Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, part of the National Cancer Institute–designated Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, has been named the 2016 recipient of the Ben and Margaret Love Foundation Bobby Alford Award for Academic Clinical Professionalism, an honor given annually to a Baylor physician who best exemplifies professionalism in the practice of medicine.
Same-Day Workup Program
Throughout her career, Dr. Sedgwick has been dedicated to improving health care and making the breast cancer treatment process more streamlined and less intimidating for patients. One of her most significant accomplishments has been building and implementing a same-day workup and breast biopsy program in the Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, which allows a patient to receive her mammogram and results, as well as have a biopsy on the same day, without having to make separate appointments or leave the clinic.
Dr. Sedgwick also led the team that instituted the program at the Smith Clinic at Harris Health, which serves uninsured patients, regardless of their ability to pay. Dr. Sedgwick’s team leadership to improve the quality of care at Smith Clinic has resulted in nearly 3,000 additional mammography appointments in 2015.
“Having the ability to provide same-day workup services is important for many patients, particularly those who have limited access to transportation or come from outlying areas,” said Dr. Sedgwick. “We cut down on the time, money, and effort patients spend on getting to appointments, which also helps them more easily manage anxiety during the diagnostic process.”
In addition to her work to develop the same-day workup program, Dr. Sedgwick has directed the Baylor College of Medicine Quality Improvement and Patient Safety conference for 3 years in collaboration with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement Open School medical student group, composed of Baylor and University of Texas Houston students.
“You have to remember that the person standing in front of you has a family and life outside of work or an appointment. A bad interaction with a coworker or patient can be an indicator of something going on outside of that conversation that you may not be aware of,” said Dr. Sedgwick, who also is Chief Quality Officer for Baylor College of Medicine Faculty Group Practice. ■
