[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 103 (Tuesday, July 12, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1295]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            HONORING DENNIS SISTO OF NAPA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MIKE THOMPSON

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 12, 2011

  Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize 
Dennis Sisto on the occasion of his retirement as President and Chief 
Executive Officer of Queen of the Valley Medical Center in Napa County, 
California. Dennis' leadership will be truly missed by his colleagues, 
health care providers throughout the Napa Valley, and all of us in the 
community who have received superlative medical care from Queen of the 
Valley during his tenure.
  Mr. Sisto has worked for the St. Joseph Health System for 24 years, 
the past 13 at Queen of the Valley. During his tenure, Mr. Sisto has 
served as a champion for the health and quality of life of the Napa 
Valley community. To respond to the needs of the underserved, he has 
guided Queen of the Valley through the creation of new healthcare 
services for persons with HIV/AIDS, cancer and congestive heart failure 
directed at individuals without health insurance or the ability to pay. 
His leadership has ushered in an unprecedented era of technological 
growth for healthcare services in the Valley, bringing such 
advancements as the robotic surgical system, a state-of-the-art linear 
accelerator for the treatment of cancer patients, an imaging center 
housing the world's finest diagnostic imaging equipment and a new 
Outpatient Surgery and Procedure Center.
  To focus on improving community health and address higher than 
anticipated Napa County mortality rates for heart disease, cancer, 
stroke and diabetes, Mr. Sisto has led the development process for the 
Queen of the Valley Medical Center's state of the art Wellness Center. 
The Wellness Center offers specialized programs directed at persons who 
need professional supervision to manage high health risks and chronic 
diseases. The creation of the Wellness Center represents a significant 
step forward for hospitals, allowing Queen of the Valley to expand its 
focus beyond acute care and offer preventive services as well as health 
maintenance programs.
  Running a medical center in today's world can be a thankless and 
complex endeavor. It takes great integrity, a steady hand and a strong 
sense of humor to handle all of the challenges that present themselves 
to our hospital administrators. Mr. Sisto has all of these qualities in 
spades. He has been an invaluable partner in the process as we 
implement the Affordable Care Act on the local level.
  Mr. Speaker, it is my distinct pleasure to recognize Dennis Sisto for 
his many years of service to Napa and to thank him for his 
contributions to wellness and health care in our community. I join his 
wife, Judy, his entire family and our colleagues in wishing him the 
best as he enters this new phase of his life.

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