State’s new chief medical officer visits med center

Tom Williams, M.D., chief medical officer and director of the Division of Public Health for the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services(NDHHS), met with key UNMC officials last month. It marked his first visit to UNMC/Nebraska Medicine since he was named chief medical officer on Nov. 1.

A 1974 graduate of the UNMC College of Medicine, Dr. Williams spent the past 39 years as a pathologist at Nebraska Methodist Hospital. He was joined on his UNMC/Nebraska Medicine visit by Tom Rauner, health program manager of the NDHHS Office of Rural Health & Primary Care.

Dr. Williams and Rauner met with UNMC Chancellor Jeffrey P. Gold, M.D., Brad Britigan, M.D., dean of the UNMC College of Medicine, and numerous department chairs from the College of Medicine. He toured the UNMC/Nebraska Medicine campus and got a sneak preview of the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, which is slated to open later this spring.

“Thanks to department chairs as well as Dean Britigan and Chancellor Gold for their insights and comments regarding the new and exciting developments at UNMC/Nebraska Medicine, as well as a most impressive tour of the new facilities,” Dr. Williams said. “I look forward — both in my current position and as a UNMC alum — to future collaborative opportunities.”

“We were delighted that these two gentlemen came to UNMC/Nebraska Medicine,” Dr. Gold said. “They are key players in the health care landscape in Nebraska. We greatly appreciate them spending some time here and learning more about the great things that are happening. We look forward to working with them in the years to come.”