New Thomas Street Clinic Director Has Global Goal For Facility

Ahmed Adu-Oppong has been named the new director of Thomas Street Clinic, a free-standing HIV/AIDS facility and part of the Harris County Hospital District. Among his goals for the clinic is making it a global resource center for countries struggling with the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

"I have a definite vision for Thomas Street Clinic and I want my co-workers to share in this local and global vision," he says. "My first priority, however, is to get to know my co-workers and the system at Thomas Street (Clinic)."

Adu-Oppong previously worked as operations manager for the Hospital District's HIV/AIDS Project Office, a position he held for a year and a half. He has 20-years of healthcare experience including several in laboratory and research of HIV/AIDS for Baylor College of Medicine and the University of Texas Health Science Center-Dallas.

Upon entering his new office, he wants to begin an open-door policy where all staff and the clinic's clients will have continuous access to him.

"No one will have to knock on my door because it will always be open for everyone," he says. "I want everyone to feel free to come in and talk to me, freely and openly."

His goals are three-fold: increase and sustain grant support of the facility, publicize the clinic's success of services and treatment programs nationwide and make it a resource center to help Third-world countries combat the global epidemic of HIV/AIDS.

Though new to the administrative aspect of healthcare, Adu-Oppong is confident of his skills in making sure Thomas Street Clinic continues to serve well the HIV/AIDS community. He credits a former hospital administrator with inspiring him to his role of leadership.

"He had such a great attitude about his work and dealing with his employees," Adu-Oppong recalls of his former CEO. "No one was just a nurse or a janitor, they were all somebody and part of the team of caregivers."

Adu-Oppong replaces outgoing director Carolyn Barrett, who assumed a nursing administrative position at Ben Taub General Hospital, also a part of the Hospital District.

Adu-Oppong is working on a doctorate degree in management and policy science at The University of Texas-Houston School of Public Health. He holds a bachelor's degree in microbiology and three master's degrees, respectively, in molecular biology, business administration and healthcare administration.

He and his wife, Romeal Phoquo, and their four children live in Houston.

- JOHN MARTINEZ

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©2006 Texas Medical Center

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