From family to his clinical practice, doctor considers himself part of the group

Pat McBride works with heart patient Julia Deab in his UW clinic.

If there’s one thing Pat McBride learned while growing up in a family of seven children, it was how to work together. So whenever you talk with McBride about his work, which focuses on preventing coronary artery disease, he’ll quickly remind you it’s a team effort.

“I think that’s the only way we’re going to accomplish our research and educational missions, one person doesn’t do it, it’s a group effort,” McBride says. “We all stand on the shoulders of people before us.”

In 14 years at UW–Madison, McBride has developed broad shoulders capable of supporting a formidable national reputation. An associate professor of medicine and family medicine, as well as director of preventive cardiology and health promotions at UW Hospital and Clinics, McBride has done much to elevate prevention of heart disease in primary-care practices.

The effort has important public health implications: Heart disease is the leading cause of death and disability in the United States and adds an estimated $171 billion annually to the nation’s health-care bill. While it’s known that lifestyle factors such as smoking, diet and exercise have enormous effects on heart-disease risk, doctors don’t always have time to incorporate prevention consistently into practice. If risk factors were consistently addressed, the incidence of heart disease would drop dramatically.

McBride has sought to improve preventive care through a series of educational and “practice improvement initiatives,” the latest of which involves helping health-care providers from 45 midwestern clinics find ways to better counsel patients on heart-disease risks. Preventive care, he says, is not as difficult and time-consuming as some may believe.

“Medical assistants, nurses or other health-care providers can assist doctors in screening for and treating risk factors,” says McBride, noting receptionists can flag files of smokers or other at-risk patients. “It’s got to be a team effort — doctors, nurses, receptionists and so on. Everyone has to be working together.”

Colleagues say McBride’s work takes what’s been proven in medical studies and puts it to work in the doctor’s office. Says Peter Hanson, professor emeritus of medicine and former director of UW preventive cardiology, “There’s no sense in proving over and over again that the treatment of cholesterol results in a lower incidence of heart disease if it’s not practiced in the field. Many academic centers are beginning to realize that they have good scientists, but not good practitioners. Pat’s both.”

Frequently described as a gifted teacher and compassionate physician (he once shoveled snow from a heart-attack patient’s driveway), McBride has long been surrounded by achievement. His parents, reporters for rival Milwaukee newspapers, were active in social and political causes. His siblings, all graduates of the UW System, include two attorneys, a public school teacher, two university professors and a film historian who’s authored books on Steven Spielberg, Frank Capra, John Ford and Orson Welles.

Still, despite all the success, there almost wasn’t a doctor in the family.

At age 15, McBride won a 25-word essay contest entitled “Why I Want to Be a Bat Boy” and went to work for the Milwaukee Brewers and later for the Milwaukee Bucks. While putting himself through UW-Milwaukee as a zoology major, McBride became a clubhouse manager for the Brewers and an equipment manager for the Bucks. “I was pretty interested in sports and so I thought, ‘Here’s a way to put science and sports together, I’ll be an athletic trainer,’ ” he says. But fate threw him a curve ball.

The Bucks’ athletic trainer, impressed by McBride’s breadth of knowledge, encouraged him to become a physician. At the same time, salaries among pro athletes were escalating, and, McBride noticed, so were egos.

“I remember I was working at the 1976 All-Star Game at County Stadium,” says McBride, recalling a crystallizing moment. “I was there with all these big stars, some of whom weren’t a joy to be around. Henry Kissinger was there to throw out the first ball and when he met the players, he was so excited he couldn’t speak. Here was one of the most powerful people in the world, overwhelmed by athletes. I realized at that moment that sports were out of perspective and that I wanted to do something for those more in need.”

After graduating from UW Medical School in 1980, McBride saw firsthand the difficulty of preventing heart disease on a residency at the University of South Carolina. Working on a master’s degree in public health, McBride became interested in heart disease prevention and cardiac rehabilitation.

“I observed the struggles to put prevention into medical practice and wanted to do something about it,” says McBride. “I’ve always looked

Pat McBride works with heart patient Julia Deab in his UW clinic.

If there’s one thing Pat McBride learned while growing up in a family of seven children, it was how to work together. So whenever you talk with McBride about his work, which focuses on preventing coronary artery disease, he’ll quickly remind you it’s a team effort.

“I think that’s the only way we’re going to accomplish our research and educational missions, one person doesn’t do it, it’s a group effort,” McBride says. “We all stand on the shoulders of people before us.”

In 14 years at UW–Madison, McBride has developed broad shoulders capable of supporting a formidable national reputation. An associate professor of medicine and family medicine, as well as director of preventive cardiology and health promotions at UW Hospital and Clinics, McBride has done much to elevate prevention of heart disease in primary-care practices.

The effort has important public health implications: Heart disease is the leading cause of death and disability in the United States and adds an estimated $171 billion annually to the nation’s health-care bill. While it’s known that lifestyle factors such as smoking, diet and exercise have enormous effects on heart-disease risk, doctors don’t always have time to incorporate prevention consistently into practice. If risk factors were consistently addressed, the incidence of heart disease would drop dramatically.

McBride has sought to improve preventive care through a series of educational and “practice improvement initiatives,” the latest of which involves helping health-care providers from 45 midwestern clinics find ways to better counsel patients on heart-disease risks. Preventive care, he says, is not as difficult and time-consuming as some may believe.

“Medical assistants, nurses or other health-care providers can assist doctors in screening for and treating risk factors,” says McBride, noting receptionists can flag files of smokers or other at-risk patients. “It’s got to be a team effort — doctors, nurses, receptionists and so on. Everyone has to be working together.”

Colleagues say McBride’s work takes what’s been proven in medical studies and puts it to work in the doctor’s office. Says Peter Hanson, professor emeritus of medicine and former director of UW preventive cardiology, “There’s no sense in proving over and over again that the treatment of cholesterol results in a lower incidence of heart disease if it’s not practiced in the field. Many academic centers are beginning to realize that they have good scientists, but not good practitioners. Pat’s both.”

Frequently described as a gifted teacher and compassionate physician (he once shoveled snow from a heart-attack patient’s driveway), McBride has long been surrounded by achievement. His parents, reporters for rival Milwaukee newspapers, were active in social and political causes. His siblings, all graduates of the UW System, include two attorneys, a public school teacher, two university professors and a film historian who’s authored books on Steven Spielberg, Frank Capra, John Ford and Orson Welles.

Still, despite all the success, there almost wasn’t a doctor in the family.

At age 15, McBride won a 25-word essay contest entitled “Why I Want to Be a Bat Boy” and went to work for the Milwaukee Brewers and later for the Milwaukee Bucks. While putting himself through UW-Milwaukee as a zoology major, McBride became a clubhouse manager for the Brewers and an equipment manager for the Bucks. “I was pretty interested in sports and so I thought, ‘Here’s a way to put science and sports together, I’ll be an athletic trainer,’ ” he says. But fate threw him a curve ball.

The Bucks’ athletic trainer, impressed by McBride’s breadth of knowledge, encouraged him to become a physician. At the same time, salaries among pro athletes were escalating, and, McBride noticed, so were egos.

“I remember I was working at the 1976 All-Star Game at County Stadium,” says McBride, recalling a crystallizing moment. “I was there with all these big stars, some of whom weren’t a joy to be around. Henry Kissinger was there to throw out the first ball and when he met the players, he was so excited he couldn’t speak. Here was one of the most powerful people in the world, overwhelmed by athletes. I realized at that moment that sports were out of perspective and that I wanted to do something for those more in need.”

After graduating from UW Medical School in 1980, McBride saw firsthand the difficulty of preventing heart disease on a residency at the University of South Carolina. Working on a master’s degree in public health, McBride became interested in heart disease prevention and cardiac rehabilitation.

“I observed the struggles to put prevention into medical practice and wanted to do something about it,” says McBride. “I’ve always looked for opportunities to improve patient care and that’s why I became passionate about primary care and prevention.”

There is, however, a balance to his passion, just as his work straddles the worlds of research, teaching and patient care. Though a tireless worker and an active volunteer, McBride never allows his attentions to stray too far from his family — his wife Kim and children, Sean, 11, and Gabrielle, 9 — or his lifelong faith. He is a devoted member of St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church in Madison, and his athletic endeavors these days include serving as a basketball and soccer coach for his kids’ teams.

“My parents taught me the importance of public service, but they also taught me service starts at home,” McBride says. “I feel that if my family is not a priority, then that’s not good public service.

“I consider myself very blessed and want to return those blessings to my family and community. I hope my work at the university reflects that commitment.”

McBride and colleagues have developed a Web site that features information on heart disease prevention for both health-care professionals and the public. for opportunities to improve patient care and that’s why I became passionate about primary care and prevention.”

There is, however, a balance to his passion, just as his work straddles the worlds of research, teaching and patient care. Though a tireless worker and an active volunteer, McBride never allows his attentions to stray too far from his family — his wife Kim and children, Sean, 11, and Gabrielle, 9 — or his lifelong faith. He is a devoted member of St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church in Madison, and his athletic endeavors these days include serving as a basketball and soccer coach for his kids’ teams.

“My parents taught me the importance of public service, but they also taught me service starts at home,” McBride says. “I feel that if my family is not a priority, then that’s not good public service.

“I consider myself very blessed and want to return those blessings to my family and community. I hope my work at the university reflects that commitment.”

McBride and colleagues have developed a Web site that features information on heart disease prevention for both health-care professionals and the public.