Spotlight

James M. Adams, Jr., MD

In 1988, Dr. James M. Adams, Jr., received the Southwestern University Alumni Association Citation of Merit from his alma mater. The citation is awarded to alums who “have performed exceptional civic and/or professional services in a given geographic area or field of endeavor.” Those values are reflected in the influence Dr. Adams’ dedication has had on perinatal care in Texas during his 30-year career at Baylor College of Medicine, which itself is dedicated to patient care, education, and research. In fact, Dr. Adams subsequently received several awards for excellence in teaching at Baylor as well.

During his fellowship at Baylor in the 1970s, Dr. Adams began making a difference. His fellowship mentor was Dr. Arnold J. Rudolph, and together they founded the neonatal intensive care unit at Texas Children’s Hospital. Dr. Adams was appointed medical director of the NICU in 1975, and today he continues to serve as medical director for Special Care Nurseries. In 1984, he founded the NICU at Woman’s Hospital of Texas and was Medical Director there through 1996.

In 1978, Dr. Adams founded the Neonatal Transport Team for Texas Children’s. This preeminent service, now part of the Kangaroo Crew^SM, operates around the clock to transport critically ill babies from across the country to Texas Children’s Hospital. The team includes a neonatologist or neonatal nurse practitioner, neonatal nurse, and neonatal respiratory therapist. All are highly trained in transport medicine to provide that specialized care to patients en route.

Dr. Adams also supports the nursing professionals who are an essential part of a neonatal-perinatal care team. In 1980, he co-founded the Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Program at Texas Childrens’ Hospital, which was the first such accredited program in the State of Texas. His efforts to establish this program that supports the continuing education of health care professsionals reflect his commitment to patient care.

Dr. Adams now is a professor of pediatrics, is certified in general pediatrics and in neonatal-perinatal medicine by the American Board of Pediatrics, and has received several awards for excellence in teaching at Baylor. His clinical and research interests focus on cardiopulmonary care and management of ventilator-dependent chronic lung disease in young infants. Administratively, his focus includes resource utilization and process management in the NICU. Dr. Adams’ career has carried on the values of Southwestern University and is cause for recognition in light of the many lives he has influenced.