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Years before he thought about being a doctor, BlueCross Medical Director Dr. Ian Hamilton was already focused on saving lives.

His dad was a volunteer firefighter. As a teen, Dr. Hamilton would often ride along with him, admiring how his dad made a difference for others. At 16, he joined the same volunteer force. Already a certified scuba diver, he became part of the Tennessee River rescue team.

His skills helped in the noteworthy rescue of college students and an instructor on a geological expedition trapped in a cave that flooded from heavy rain. He and another rescue diver brought all eight people out safely.

“Because it got national press coverage, I tell people it was my 15 seconds of fame,” he says.

Encouragement in finding his calling

He trained to be an EMT and worked aboard an ambulance during high school and college. While pursuing his bachelor’s degree at the University of Tennessee a few years later, he finished paramedic training.

“I was fascinated by emergency services,” says Dr. Hamilton. “I couldn’t get enough of it.”

His interaction with ER staff when he brought patients in, as well as his enthusiasm, didn’t go unnoticed.

“Several ER doctors told me, ‘Ian, you should go to medical school,” he says.

Their words put him on the path to a medical degree from Albany Medical College, surgical training in Chicago, Washington, D.C., and Scotland, and board certifications in general and vascular surgery.

An exciting time to be a surgeon

He served in the U.S. Naval Reserves Medical Corps during his medical training and in his first years with a surgical practice in Chattanooga. He performed a variety of surgeries with each before narrowing his focus to vascular and endovascular surgery which uses catheters to repair blood vessels.

“I did the first aortic artery stent procedure in Tennessee outside of clinical trials,” he says.  “It was an exciting time.”

He later started a vascular and endovascular surgery program at a hospital in North Georgia. He also opened a private practice and embarked on a Physician Executive MBA program to gain more health care business insight. His studies piqued his interest in other aspects of patient care.

“I was intrigued with the science of health care process improvement, patient safety and health care costs,” he says.

Those new interests, and insight from serving on the board of a physician health organization, helped set the stage for his next career step.

“I realized there were many opportunities for health insurers to contribute to improving member health,” he says. 

A broader reach for his medical expertise

Selling his practice a few years later let him explore those opportunities. He joined another health insurance company first as medical director for their Medicare Advantage division in Georgia where he and his team contributed toreducing hospital and skilled care facility admissions for members.

In 2015, he joined BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee as an account medical director. Dr. Hamilton serves as a clinical subject matter expert for business teams working with many of the company’s largest self-funded employer groups – from manufacturing, distribution and trucking to retail, health care and state government.

Dr. Hamilton and account teams work with others at BlueCross to help these companies understand data related to the prevalence of certain health conditions in their employee population. They can then offer solutions and programs to help prevent or manage health conditions, like diabetes.

“If we can help businesses with tools to prevent diseases within their workforce or treat them earlier, their employees can be healthier,” Dr. Hamilton says.

He says that prevention and health improvement can also help to stabilize or lower costs for self-funded accounts which cover their employees’ claims.

“A mission that matters”

Dr. Hamilton’s role impacts the wellbeing of individual members of these groups, as well. Like his hospital days, he regularly does “rounds” with other clinicians, offering ideas and guidance to case managers assisting members withcomplex health conditions.

“Knowing we’re helping a member navigating a critical time in their life brings a sense of satisfaction,” Dr. Hamilton says.

He also appreciates opportunities to achieve goals that he became interested in during his MBA studies, like health care quality improvement.

“My work on behalf of members is more than a professional responsibility; it’s a personal commitment to supporting them and contributing to a mission that matters,” Dr. Hamilton says. “That gives me fulfillment and inspiration.”

For the love of diving and trying new things

Outside of work, Dr. Hamilton loves to cave dive, a pursuit he enjoys with his oldest daughter who is also scuba certified. Together, they’ve gone to Florida, Mexico and Bonaire to dive.

His spare time is also frequently spent clearing and maintaining the 300 acres around his home that includes ATV trails that he and his family have enjoyed over the years. Hiking is another favorite activity, including taking in the beauty and the challenge of the Appalachian Trail.

“I like being outdoors and working on our property, whether it’s clearing timber or maintaining our gravel road with my skid steer,” says Dr. Hamilton.

He also started woodworking several years ago and recently added welding to his skill set.

“Medicine instilled the importance of being a continuous learner. My work now has learning and goal setting opportunities that I find rewarding,” he says.

“Activities that have those elements along with exercise is important to me. It diversifies my life, and that’s relaxing in a lot of ways.”