Dr. Henry Buchwald is a world-renowned surgeon, author, professor and patient healthcare advocate who says we can turn our broken healthcare system right-side up to serve all patients, now and in the future.
Meet Henry
Click photos to enlarge.
Henry Buchwald grew up in New York City, starting as a 6-year-old helping to unload the daily catch of fish on the docks of Sheepshead Bay. After Columbia College, Medical School, and Internship, he served on flying status as the Base Flight Surgeon, Headquarters Strategic Air Command, now part of US Strategic Command, responsible with eleven other commands for strategic deterrence.
Subsequently, he completed surgical residency at the University of Minnesota, including research for inaugurating the partial ileal bypass operation to lower cholesterol levels; he was the Principal Investigator for the $65 million dollar Program on the Surgical Control of the Hyperlipidemias Trial that was the first trial to demonstrate that cholesterol lowering decreases atherosclerotic heart disease, prevents heart attacks and peripheral vascular disease, actually regresses coronary artery lesions, and increases life expectancy.
Dr. Buchwald stayed at the University of Minnesota for the rest of his career as Professor of Surgery and Biomedical Engineering, and the Owen H. and Sally Davidson Wangensteen Chair in Experimental Surgery. In his engineering endeavors, he was responsible for the invention for the first implantable drug infusion pump and the ubiquitous infusion port used by millions annually.
He lives on the outskirts of Minneapolis with his wife, Emilie. He spends his private time horseback riding, writing, running, and swimming. The Buchwalds have four daughters, who, with their husbands, for the most part, live close by, enabling Henry and Emilie to enjoy their six grandchildren.
Henry’s Work
For more than 60 years, Henry Buchwald, MD, PhD, has been revered as a doctor, surgeon, teacher, healthcare pioneer and patient advocate. He is currently Professor Emeritus of Surgery and Biomedical Engineering at the University of Minnesota. He earned his B.A. at Columbia College, and his M.D. at the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia University, graduating at the top of his class from both institutions.
Dr. Buchwald has been the recipient of numerous NIH and other organizational grants for research. He was the Principal Investigator of the 20-year Program on the Surgical Control of the Hyperlipidemias, the first randomized clinical trial to demonstrate that his partial ileal bypass surgery resulted in reductions in cholesterol levels and cardiovascular disease, prolonging overall life expectancy.
Dr. Buchwald was also a pioneer in bariatric surgery and the co-author and primary advocate of the concept of metabolic surgery. He holds 20 patents for bioengineering devices, including the first implantable infusion pump used in insulin delivery and continuous chemotherapy delivery.
Healthcare Upside Down
“Healthcare Upside Down does an excellent job of explaining the complexity of the US healthcare system that while being the most expensive in the world fails to provide what we should expect as taxpayers… I encourage people in the field of healthcare or just those interested in receiving better healthcare to read this book.”
— Judy Heumann, Co-founder, World Institute on Disability
“Healthcare Upside Down is written from the perspective of someone who lived, taught, and innovated during the golden age of healthcare delivery and patient service…This is a major work from a highly seasoned professional that may actively help turn things around by calling on public awareness.”
— Dr. David B. Hoyt, former Executive Director of the American College of Surgeons
“Dr. Buchwald presents a cogent and enlightening exposé of corporate healthcare’s emergence as dominant in American medicine today… I hope that Dr. Buchwald’s book leads to actions to reverse the policies he describes that are detrimental to achieving better healthcare for all Americans.”
— Dr. Joseph M. Vigneri, Retired Otolaryngologist