Ott announces new medical director

City Manager Marc Ott announced on Friday that he has appointed Dr. Mark E. Escott, health authority for the Montgomery County Public Health District in Southeast Texas, as the new medical director for Austin/Travis County, replacing Acting Medical Director Dr. Mark Ackrell, who took on the role after the resignation of Dr. Paul Hinchey in September 2015. Escott’s years of experience include serving as director of the Division of Emergency Medical Services/Disaster Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, medical director of the Montgomery County Hospital District, medical director of Rice University’s Emergency Medical Services and many other roles providing oversight and direction for emergency services. He holds a medical degree from Flinders University in Adelaide, Australia, a master’s in Public Health from the University of Texas Health Science Center at the Houston School of Public Health and a Bachelor of Arts from Rice University. Escott will begin his tenure as medical director here in Austin on Sept. 1. The Office of the Medical Director is responsible for comprehensive medical oversight of all clinical care provided by the Austin/Travis County EMS System.