Physician of the year named

By Ken Ross

04/30/2008- The Republican

HOLYOKE - Few doctors still make house calls.

Or make telephone calls to patients late at night. Or simply stop by to visit patients on their own free time at patients' homes or in hospital.

Maybe that was why Dr. Thomas E. Judd was named "physician of the year" yesterday by Home Care Alliance of Massachusetts.

A doctor of internal medicine in Holyoke, Judd routinely does all these tasks. Even so, the Springfield native who now lives in Holyoke was surprised and honored to receive the award.

"It (the award) truly honors what we do day in, day out," he said yesterday in his office on the grounds of Holyoke Medical Center.

Judd was nominated for the award by the Holyoke Visiting Nurse Association & Hospice Life Care. He deflected attention away from himself yesterday, taking every opportunity to credit his staff.

"It's the team approach that has been so successful," Judd said.

He also credited his family for the award.

"It's your family's support that allows you to be able to do it," he said.

Judd and his wife, Diane, have two children - Alex, 22, and Emily, 18.

But several officials from the nurses' association were more than happy to praise Judd profusely yesterday as they stood in his office lobby.

"He goes that extra mile all the time," said Christina Rinaldi-Orciari, director of home care for the association.

Judd has also kept up to date on technological advances which enable doctors to communicate better with patients, according to Jean E. Zaleski, director of community resource development for the association.

"Doctor Judd has always been so wonderful working with new technologies," she said.

As evidence, Zaleski cited Judd's use of a computer program that allows doctors to view patient records electronically and sign documents online.

But it was Judd's compassionate side that association members praised the most. Zaleski talked about how he personally handled a case in which other doctors showed little interest, and how Judd "made all the difference."

And then there are the home visits.

"He does home care to our patients... who are too sick to make it to our office," said Kimberly A. Ritchie, Judd's practice manager. "He provides them comfort, caring."

"He's a compassionate physician," said Marie Deitz, director of hospice and palliative care for the association. She said that she has seen Judd making house calls.

So, why does Judd make house calls? According to him, it is simply a matter of "caring for the patient."

He said, "They're what's important to us."

Judd has been a doctor for 30 years, including the past 26 years in Holyoke.

"When a patient gets better," he added, "the reward is inside and seeing them feeling better."