Geography graduate’s path leads to career in technology that aids physicians

Born in Germany to a family in the military, by the time Patric Edmondson (B.S. ’86) had settled in San Antonio as a teenager, he had lived in Germany, Kansas, Washington D.C., and Texas (Del Rio, Corpus Christi). It was a way of life he loved; growing up to experience different people and places that he attributes to his flexibility towards change.

Today, Edmondson is senior vice president of product development for Modernizing Medicine, a Boca Raton, Florida-based company with an electronic health records solution aimed at helping physicians bring quality back to the patient-physician encounter. He and his department of 220 employees develop the company’s products from concept to commercial grade software for their market.

At Texas State University, Edmonson studied both geography and computer science, graduating with a bachelor of science degree in applied physical geography and just two classes shy of a degree in computer science. He happened to be at the forefront of an emerging discipline called Geographic Information Systems (GIS), which let him apply his geography and computer science knowledge. This ultimately led to the start of his career.

By the late 1980s, he landed in South Florida where he focused on his GIS career. In the ensuing years he made the transition to broader technology roles. Edmonson also acquired his Master of Public Administration degree from Florida Atlantic University.

Not ever having considered living in Florida long-term, “ultimately opportunity has kept me here,” says Edmonson, now married with two sons and living in the West Palm Beach area. That opportunity came in the form of working in technology in several different industries, to include his latest venture in health care.

“Increasingly, physicians have had to become administrators, and what we’ve built is something that allows a doctor to be a doctor,” he says. “It’s designed by doctors who work at the company and some of whom we have taught to code.”

Modernizing Medicine’s technology allows doctors to conduct patient visits, while doing very little typing. By using the company’s web and iPad applications, physicians can see the human body on the screen and point to or touch the part that is the area of focus as well as click on the medical content embedded in the product. This visually rich application facilitates workflows in ways that saves valuable time.

The technology focuses on medical specialties in the dermatology, ophthalmology, plastic surgery, orthopedics, gastroenterology, and ENT specialties. Additionally, the software codifies billing and other outcomes related data that assists physicians with meeting outcomes-based reporting required by the federal government. It also removes a huge burden from the doctors.

Edmonson’s career, which has evolved from working with spatial data and geographic information systems to more mainstream information technology, has come a long way from his days working at the Jack In-the-Box — still standing down the hill from campus— to pay for his studies.

“I was the first in my family to go to college and graduate,” says Edmondson, who also worked in construction and as a student instructor and developed code for a grant program, the Institute for Corridor Studies. “I never had a student loan and just worked and paid my way through school. I had fun, met all kinds of great people, and came away with some lasting memories. It was just a wonderful experience for me that was both filled with positives and challenging times, pushing myself to complete school. Altogether, this was a period of growth in my life that I feel college experience uniquely facilitates, providing lessons I continue to draw upon today.”

He still enjoys the opportunity to provide guidance to students at his alma mater. As a board member for the School of Liberal Arts, he visits campus and recalls the lessons he’s learned. “On one of my trips there, I met with at-risk students who are all freshmen,” he says. “It was such a rewarding experience for me, because I can relate to where they are. Because of my experience, I was relatable in terms of describing my journey at Texas State and the challenges I had to face to accomplish my goal.”

Edmonson also encourages students to “move out of your comfort zone.” He advises them to  dare to be different and to “focus on finishing what you start.”  

“Throughout my career, I have moved through several industries to include science and engineering, education, eCommerce, and now health care,” he says. “I could have played it safe and stayed in one industry, but I chose to explore my capabilities and meet the ongoing challenges you face when you move outside of your comfort zone. You never know what you’re going to learn.”