(NACOGDOCHES, TX)–W.E. “Eddy” Furniss III, M.D. was recently appointed Nacogdoches County Health Authority by County Judge Greg Sowell.
Health authorities, which are appointed to two-year terms, serve as a critical part of the state’s public health system. As county health authority, Dr. Furniss will administer state and local laws relating to public health within the county. Health authorities are considered officers of the state when performing duties to implement and enforce laws that protect the public’s health. Dr. William Hairston had served in the position since 1982.
“I’m humbled by the trust Judge Sowell and the rest of the county government have put in me,” Dr. Furniss said. “I take public health very seriously, so I understand the importance of these new responsibilities and requirements. I look forward to doing everything I can to protect the health of the people of Nacogdoches County.”
As county health authority, Dr. Furniss will be charged with establishing, maintaining, and enforcing quarantine orders; aiding in quarantine inspections, disease prevention and suppression efforts, birth and death statistics, and general sanitation issues; reporting the presence of contagious, infectious and dangerous epidemic diseases to local and state authorities; and aiding in carrying out public health rules, ordinances, sanitation laws, quarantine rules, and required reporting of any vital statistics.
Dr. Furniss is the founder of Nacogdoches Health Partners. He also serves on the state board for Catalyst Health Group, an organization committed to transforming the health and wellbeing of communities. Dr. Furniss is board certified in family medicine and has been in private practice in Nacogdoches for more than 12 years. He attended medical school at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and did his residency training at John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth.
Nacogdoches Health Partners is a primary care clinic with a focus on value-based medicine. The qualified Nacogdoches Health Partners team, including Dr. Furniss, III, Lindsay Aldrich, MD, Jesse Creel, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, Misty Phillips, MSN, APRN FNP-C, and Nena Ivey, PA-C, works together to provide primary care to patients of all ages. Nacogdoches Health Partners is welcoming new patients in their primary care office located at 4800 NE Stallings Dr., #109 in Nacogdoches and through NHP Virtual Care. Call 936-559-0700 for more information.