A practicing surgeon in the Division of Colorectal Surgery, Dr. Watson is a leader in applying health care technology to the delivery of high-quality, patient-centered medicine. A fourth-generation surgeon and faculty member at the University of Pittsburgh, Dr. Watson practices nearly a third of his own clinical care using telemedicine to increase access and convenience for patients. He also plays a leading role in developing telemedicine strategy and technology across UPMC and serves as the president-elect of the American Telemedicine Association.
As vice president of Clinical Information Technology Transformation, Dr. Watson assists UPMC International in developing innovative health information technology solutions to address the needs of UPMC’s global partners and is part of a team leading the development of UPMC’s IT Advisory Services. He speaks frequently around the world on the transformation of health care as highlighted by his UPMC experience.
Dr. Watson attended Trinity College and subsequently received his master’s degree at the University of Oxford. After receiving his medical degree from Columbia University’s College of Physicians and Surgeons, he completed his surgical training and a fellowship in minimally invasive surgery at UPMC, where he specializes in colorectal and inflammatory bowel disease surgery.