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Dr. Daniel Haight, Lakeland Regional Health’s vice president of community health and medical director of infection prevention, has been named a Fellow by the Infectious Diseases Society of America.
“The 128 individuals chosen to receive the FIDSA designation this year have demonstrated a commitment to advancing the field of Infectious Disease, and we are proud to honor their work and dedication,” said Dr. Steven K. Schmitt, the organization’s president.
Haight also teaches medical students and resident physicians and is medical director of Westminster Lakeland/Florida Presbyterian Homes on Lake Hunter.
Inspiration: As a boy, Haight spent several summers with relatives who were country doctors, watching as they treated patients in their homes.
“One in particular worked in public health and as a general doctor,” Haight recalled. “He took me on house calls to farms when I was 11 years old. I was impressed with the level of whole-family interactions, emphasis on nutrition, good sleep, and asking ‘what matters most’ to the patient and family. Before and after the visit with the patient, he would sit with the family and talk over coffee and bread.”
Career choice: He said he loves the field of infectious diseases because he is not limited to treating just one part of the body.
“We treat the person as a whole and take into account past medical conditions and current needs,” he said. “Infectious disease physicians are often asked to help see a patient with a fever due to an unknown cause. However, it is not rare for a fever to be caused by illnesses other than infections. For example, fever could be caused by an allergy to a medication, other inflammatory diseases, and even trauma.”
Background: Haight served as director of the Florida Department of Health in Polk County for 16 years. Following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, he was the chair for a decade of the health committee of the Regional Domestic Security Task Force for the nine counties around Tampa Bay.
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