Howard L. Melton, MD, FACS, FASMBS, long-time general surgeon at Colquitt Regional Medical Center, was recently reappointed as a Governor-at-Large (GAL) to the Board of Governors of the American College of Surgeons. Melton served a three-year term before being reappointed for another three years.
Founded in 1913, the ACS is a scientific and educational association of surgeons that exists to improve the quality of care for surgical patients by setting high standards for surgical education and practice.
Melton brings over 30 years of surgical knowledge and experience and will serve as a direct communications link between the Board of Governors and the members of the ACS. In his prior term, he served as the president of the Georgia chapter of the ACS.
As a Governor-at-Large, Melton will continue to be an active participant in various meetings at the local, state, and national level, convocations, applicant meetings and interviews, and will provide reports for his chapter.
“It is a great honor to be reappointed to this board by my fellow colleagues,” said Melton. “My time as a Governor-at Large has been enriching and rewarding. I look forward to continuing to be a part of discussions and policy making that will be instrumental in future improvements and developments within the medical community.”
A native of Valdosta, Georgia, Melton completed his medical education at the Medical College of Georgia and went on to complete an internship and residency at Methodist University Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.
In 1996, Melton began his career as a general surgeon at Colquitt Regional. Since then, he has served in a variety of leadership roles, such as Chief of Staff, Chief of Surgery and is currently a member of the Hospital Authority Board of Trustees.
“Dr. Melton is an exceptional leader and surgeon,” said Colquitt Regional President and CEO Jim Matney. “We are very proud to have him on our team. His commitment to this organization, and even further, to his patients, never ceases to amaze me. Through his involvement as Governor-at-Large, we look forward to him being able to keep our hospital on the cusp of the latest surgical procedures and advancements.”
Melton has also played an instrumental role in the development of the bariatric program at Sterling Center Bariatrics. Under his guidance, the center has received full accreditation by the American College of Surgeons and the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery as a comprehensive center for the delivery of bariatric services and Blue Distinction Center designation for bariatric surgery from BlueCross BlueShield. Melton was also recently designated a Fellow of the American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery.
“We are grateful to have Dr. Melton serving on our staff and as a Governor-at-Large,” said Hospital Authority Chairman Richard E. Turner, Jr. “He has proven himself as a faithful and well respected physician in our community over the past 26 years. He continuously goes above and beyond the call of duty and serves as a trusted mentor for not only the physicians in our healthcare system, but physicians all over the state.”
Colquitt Regional is a 99-bed teaching hospital located in Moultrie, Georgia. With over 90 providers, more than 30 specialties and 1,500 employees, Colquitt Regional is committed to providing exceptional healthcare that exceeds expectations for Colquitt County and the surrounding areas.
