[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 129 (Monday, October 16, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1799]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   IN SPECIAL RECOGNITION OF JOHN C. McMEEKIN ON THE OCCASION OF HIS 
       UPCOMING RETIREMENT FROM THE CROZER-KEYSTONE HEALTH SYSTEM

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                            HON. CURT WELDON

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, October 16, 2000

  Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, it is a privilege and an 
honor to have this opportunity to pay tribute to one of the truly 
outstanding individuals from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Mr. John 
C. McMeekin. Early next year John McMeekin will retire from his 
position as President and Chief Executive Officer of Crozer-Keystone 
Health System where he has served since 1990. The health care industry 
will lose a trailblazing leader when Jack steps down.
  John McMeekin has been a leader in the health care field for over 
thirty-five years and his service is truly commendable. The Crozer-
Keystone Health System consists of five hospitals with a licensed 
capacity of over 1200 beds, four long term care facilities totaling 800 
licensed beds, a licensed HMO managed care organization and a network 
of salaried primary care and specialty physicians. System revenues 
totaled more than $500 million in fiscal year 2000. Before joining 
Crozer-Chester Medical Center in 1983, Mr. McMeekin was a senior 
officer of Philadelphia Blue Cross and began his health career at 
Pennsylvania Hospital in 1965. He and his family reside in 
Philadelphia.
  Mr. McMeekin is past Chairman of the Hospital & Health System 
Association of Pennsylvania and Chairman of their holding company, 
Health Alliance of Pennsylvania. In addition, he serves on the Board of 
VHA, the Board of Executive Committee of the American Hospital 
Association and chairs the AHA Regional Policy Group II. He also served 
on the Executive Committee and Board of the Greater Philadelphia 
Chamber of Commerce and was a trustee of Elwyn Institute. For twelve 
years Mr. McMeekin served as Public Governor on the Board of the 
Philadelphia Stock Exchange. He is a graduate of Penn State University 
and holds a Masters degree from the Wharton School of the University of 
Pennsylvania.
  In September 1996 Crozer-Keystone opened their 200,000 square-foot, 
$40 million Healthplex, a combination of a 40-bed acute care hospital 
and emergency service which includes 35,000 square feet of physician 
offices, four ambulatory surgical suites, a comprehensive 
rehabilitation facility and a large Sports and Fitness Club. Membership 
at the end of fiscal year 2000 was approximately 7,000.
  Under Mr. McMeekin's able leadership, Crozer-Keystone served as an 
Action Learning Lab for AHA in November 1996 and has been cited for his 
work in measuring and monitoring the health status of its county of 
550,000 people and for its investment in Information Systems. In 
February 1997 they began marketing their MedCarePlus directly to 
Medicare beneficiaries as one of the eight provider-sponsored HCFA 
Medicare Choices demonstration sites. Crozer-Keystone is a major 
teaching affiliate of Temple University in Philadelphia and a member of 
the Council of Teaching Hospital and the National Chronic Care 
Consortium.
  Mr. McMeekin's distinguished career includes service on numerous 
boards and associations including American College of Healthcare 
Executives, American Hospital Association, Hospital and Healthsystem 
Association of Pennsylvania, and the Union League of Philadelphia. His 
efforts have not gone unrecognized. Included among the awards he has 
received are: Distinguished Performance in Management Award (Widener 
University, 1995); Health Care Hero's Award (Philadelphia Business 
Journal, 1996); First Carl E. Moore Award for Health Care Leadership 
(Philadelphia Health Management Corporation, 1998) and First Health 
System Innovations and Development Award (National Health Strategies, 
1998).
  Mr. Speaker, the distinguished career of John C. McMeekin places him 
in the first rank of outstanding health care leaders of our time. His 
service to his profession and his fellow man serves as benchmark for us 
all. I know Jack personally. He is a good friend, a dedicated family 
man, and a patriotic citizen. It has been a pleasure to work closely 
with him, and an honor to be his friend.
  At this time, I would ask my colleagues to join me in paying special 
tribute to John C. McMeekin. On the occasion of his retirement as 
President and Chief Executive Officer of Crozer-Keystone Health System, 
we thank him for his dedicated service and we wish him all the best for 
the future.

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