Dr. Edward J. Septimus MD

Expert Publications

• Osteomyelitis secondary to traumatic injury or surgery: diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.
• Osteomyelitis secondary to traumatic injury or surgery: diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.
• Catfish-related injury and infection: report of two cases and review of the literature.
• Meningitis caused by group B streptococcus in association with cerebrospinal rhinorrhea.
• Improving patient safety: resource availability and application for reducing the incidence of healthcare-associated infection.
• International conference on health care-associated bloodstream infections.
• Health-care-associated infections: the legislative perspective and the pharmacist's role.
• Clinical challenges in addressing resistance to antimicrobial drugs in the twenty-first century.
• Tricuspid valve group B streptococcal endocarditis following elective abortion.
• A multifaceted mandatory patient safety program and seasonal influenza
• Need and potential of antimicrobial stewardship in community hospitals.
• Osteomyelitis caused by Vibrio vulnificus.
• Soft-tissue infection caused by Edwardsiella tarda and Aeromonas hydrophila.
• Developing a program to increase seasonal influenza vaccination of healthcare workers: lessons from a system of community hospitals.
• A bundled approach to reduce methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections in a system of community hospitals.

Media Releases

Get to know Infectious Disease Specialist & Internist Dr. Ed Septimus, who serves patients in Houston, Texas.

Dr. Septimus is an infectious disease specialist & internist. He is currently the Medical Director of Infection Prevention and Epidemiology at HCA Healthcare in Houston, Texas. HCA Healthcare is an American for-profit operator of health care facility that was founded in 1968. HCA Healthcare manages 185 hospitals and 119 freestanding surgery centers, including surgery centers, freestanding ERs, urgent care centers, and physician clinics in the United States and the United Kingdom.

Dr. Septimus also holds a faculty position as Clinical Professor of Internal Medicine at Texas A&M University – College of Medicine. Dr. Septimus is a former Medical Director of Infectious Diseases and Occupational Health at Memorial Hermann Health System, which he served from 1984 to 2005. He is also a former Medical Director of Infection Diseases and Employee Health at Memorial Hermann Health System, which he served from 1983 until 2005. 

Dr. Septimus earned his medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston in 1972. He then went on to complete his postgraduate training in internal medicine and infectious diseases at the same college.

Dr. Septimus is board-certified in internal medicine by the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM). The ABIM is a physician-led, non-profit, independent evaluation organization driven by doctors who want to achieve higher standards for better care in a rapidly changing world.

Dr. Septimus is on the IDSA Quality Improvement Task Force and the IDSA Antimicrobial Resistance Work Group. He has also served on the IDSA Clinical Affairs Committee, the IDSA Program Committee, and the IDSA State and Regional Board. Furthermore, he was the first recipient of the IDSA Annual Clinician Award. 

Dr. Septimus serves on the Leading Practice Advisory Panel for VHA, the Board International Society for Antimicrobial Resistance, the SHEA/IDSA Antimicrobial Stewardship Task Force, and the SHEA HCW Influenza Vaccine Working Group. 

Dr. Septimus has lectured nationally and internationally on surviving sepsis, reduction of healthcare-associated infections, antimicrobial stewardship, MRSA, the economic case for quality, and employee health. His current interests include patient safety, infection prevention, public health, sepsis, medical informatics, clinical integration, and human-factors engineering. 

Infectious disease, is a specialty which deals with all problems related to infection, including post travel and post-surgical infections.  Infectious disease specialists identify how a disease – ranging from flu to hospital acquired infections such as pneumonia – is caused. They then determine what course of treatment, if any, is necessary.  

Internal medicine or general medicine is the medical specialty dealing with the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of adult diseases. Physicians specializing in internal medicine are called internists.

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