Woods reinstated as Peabody City Physician

PEABODY-After much speculation, the City Council voted unanimously to reappoint Dr. Michael Woods as the city physician.When councilors were asked by Mayor Michael Bonfanti to reappoint Woods last month, many scratched their heads. Who was Woods? Where was his office? What exactly does he do? How much does he cost the city?Understanding the importance of the position, Health Director Sharon Cameron stepped forward with a letter, urging the councilors to reinstate him.?The duties of City Physician are mandated by state law and are essential to the proper operation of the public health department and the school nursing program,” she wrote.As the designated City Physician, Woods, who works out of the Lahey Clinic, is responsible for issuing standing orders for public health/school nurses needed to run immunization clinics, reviewing clinical policies and procedures adopted by the Board of Health and/or School Committee related to public health, staffing the annual influenza and pneumonia clinics, providing clinical case review on an as-needed basis, providing technical and medical guidance to the Director of Health as requested, and participating in occasional meetings with public health/school nurses to discuss health issues and policies.According to Cameron, Woods does all of those duties and many more as an in-kind contribution by the Lahey Clinic North Shore. Although there is a salary in place for Woods, not a single penny has been paid by the city for his services for at least 20 years. Other physicians who have been assigned to help Woods meet his responsibilities have also done so under their terms of their employment with the Lahey Clinic and without any stipend from the city.?The Lahey Clinic has a long history of partnership with the city in ensuring that these critical functions are being met, and they have incurred the costs of doing so,” she said. “We are grateful for their continued support of these essential functions, and particularly grateful to the physicians, such as Dr. Woods, who are providing expert medical support of our programs as a service to our community.”With the Council?s vote, Woods will stay in his position for another year.