Virtual Medicine Grand Rounds – David Scrase, MD, “Using Data to Direct Public Policy for COVID in NM.”

David R. Scrase, MD was appointed as the Secretary Designate of the Human Services Department by Governor, Michelle Lujan-Grisham, soon after her election in November 2018.

Dr. Scrase is a Board Certified Internist and Geriatrician, and at the time of his appointment was the Interim Division Chief for General Internal Medicine and the Chief of Geriatrics at UNM. His first love and understood calling is as a primary care physician, and he has continuously cared for patients for over 30 years, despite concurrent service in administrative roles. He continues to see patients while serving as Secretary of the Human Services Department.

Dr. Scrase has held a variety of administrative positions, including nine years in medical education, as well as numerous healthcare executive positions in Michigan and New Mexico. Since moving to New Mexico more than 20 years ago, he has been active in many New Mexico public policy committees and community organizations, including four years as Director and Treasurer of Equality New Mexico and as a member of the Board of Menaul School in Albuquerque. He served on Governor Richardson’s Insure New Mexico! Committee and Health Care for New Mexicans Committee, on the national Ambulatory Quality Association setting quality metrics for professional practice, and on the Executive Committee of the New Mexico Association of Commerce and Industry. He worked closely with the New Mexico Medicaid program for the three years prior to his appointment as Secretary, working to enhance the treatment of Hepatitis C for Medicaid members and to improve quality and reduce hospital readmissions in all New Mexico nursing facilities.