It is my pleasure to announce Hans Watson, D.O., as Recovery Ways’ Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Watson trained in general psychiatry at Wright State University where he dedicated considerable time to aviation medicine. It was there he became a certified Flight Surgeon for the United States Air Force. Dr. Watson is a nationally recognized expert in multiple areas including psychotherapy, post-traumatic stress disorder, neurobiology, traumatic brain injury, neural functioning and aviation psychiatry.
A recently retired member of the armed forces, Dr. Watson spent the last several years as psychiatrist and medical director for Malmstrom Air Force Base’s Alcohol and Drug Prevention & Treatment program and their Family Advocacy Program (the military’s version of Child Protective Services). Dr. Watson began his military career in the Army as an artillery fire direction control specialist. He attended ROTC at the University of Utah, became an intelligence officer and deployed to Afghanistan. In Afghanistan, he was assigned as an infantry embedded trainer (advisor that lives with, trains with and fights alongside the local army unit) for the Afghan National Army soldiers. Upon returning from Afghanistan as a decorated combat veteran and leader, Dr. Watson attended medical school where he entered the field of psychiatry.
Dr. Watson is co-author of a textbook on Motivational Enhancement Therapy and is a nationally renowned keynote speaker for topics ranging from leadership to mental health and trauma therapy.
Dr. Watson’s arrival at Recovery Ways has been timed to coincide with our expansion into other markets, while working collaboratively with Drs. Pham and Anderson to keep our patients and staff safe during the COVID–19 pandemic. Our comprehensive COVID prevention program has been put in place to continue to keep our patients and staff safe and healthy.
It is important to note all new patients are tested for COVID-19 prior to admitting. Tests are mailed pre-admission and performed at home with results typically available in 24 to 48 hours. We are continuing the following protocols that have been in place since May:
- Mandatory mask-wearing for our patients and staff.
- Outpatient services to remain 100% virtual for increased safety.
- Common/office areas are sanitized by staff between each patient.
- Hypochlorous acid is used to sanitize all areas. This non-toxic fog is used to decrease the risk of airborne and/or surface transmission.
Please join us in welcoming Dr. Watson and his family back to Utah. We thank him for his service to our county.
