[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 18]
[SENA]
[Page 25644]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        OREGON HEALTH CARE HERO

 Mr. SMITH. Mr. President, in every sense of the word, Dr. 
Allen Merritt is a true health care hero for the State of Oregon. Dr. 
Merritt is not only a caring and compassionate pediatrician, but also a 
tireless and dedicated volunteer. His work to serve the physical and 
mental health needs of children, as well as his work to help enact 
important state initiatives on behalf of children, serves as an 
inspiration to us all.
  Dr. Merritt has practiced medicine at St. Charles Medical Center in 
Bend, OR, for the last 7 years. Although Dr. Merritt received his 
medical degree from the University of Kansas, his entry into the Oregon 
medical community began at Lewis and Clark University where he received 
a Certificate in Health Care Administration. Dr. Merritt later received 
a Masters of Public Administration in Health Care Administration at 
Portland State University.
  In Bend, Dr. Merritt serves multiple organizations dedicated to the 
well-being of children in Deschutes County and throughout the State. 
Most notably, Dr. Merritt serves on the Oregon Commission for Children 
and Families and is a reviewer for the Oregon Board of Medical 
Examiners. Besides serving children as a pediatrician and respected 
state leader, Dr. Merritt has also dedicated his time and effort to 
numerous community charities including Project Stepping Stones, which 
promotes infant hearing screenings; The Boys and Girls Club; and, 
Deschutes County Children's Foundation.
  As the 2003 recipient of the Oregon Medical Association's Doctor-
Citizen of the Year Award, Dr. Merritt was recognized for his 
immeasurable contributions to health care in the state of Oregon. For 
dedicating his life's work to the improvement of health care I would 
like to again recognize Dr. Allen Merritt as an Oregon Health Care 
Hero.

                          ____________________