Dr. Mark Holden joins Eagle’s Trace as new medical director

By Alan Suderman
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

The new medical director for Eagle’s Trace, Mark Holden, M.D., says treating his new patients is a pleasure.

“They’re fantastic,” he says of the 400 or so residents who live within walking distance of his new office. “It’s just a really friendly atmosphere.”

And Holden, who is board-certified in internal medicine, says that kind of atmosphere makes his job easier.

“People who stay active mentally and physically always do better,” he says.

Teamwork and access make the difference
Holden joined Eagle’s Trace in early June, after 20 years at University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, where he both practiced and taught.

The Houstonite says the short commute and the accessibility patients have to health care at Eagle’s Trace persuaded him to change jobs.

“There’s a lot of emphasis on residents having access to health care [at Eagle’s Trace],” Holden says. He adds that for a doctor, being able to see patients when they are sick without making them wait several days for an appointment makes a big difference.

And, he adds, the team approach at Eagle’s Trace to health care, by having social workers and rehabilitation specialists work closely with doctors, was also a big draw.

He says he’s also impressed with Erickson’s secure electronic medical records system, which helps him keep up-to-date records on all his patients.

“It’s not this way at other places,” Holden says.

Concern for patients is key
It’s his concern for patients’ well-being that led Holden into a career as a physician. His first career aspiration, he says, was to work as a medical researcher, but he decided in college that he could do more good as a doctor.

“I was looking for a way to contribute at a higher level,” he says. The combination of technical knowledge and personal contact made being a doctor the perfect choice.