[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 20]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 28760]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




     ON SCHNEIDER REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER CEO RODNEY E. MILLER, SR.

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. DONNA M. CHRISTENSEN

                         of the virgin islands

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 30, 2007

  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Madam Speaker, 5 years ago, the U.S. Virgin 
Islands, and in particular, the island of St. Thomas and the Schneider 
Regional Medical Center, welcomed a young, passionate, health care 
administrator to be its president and chief executive officer. Rodney 
E. Miller took on the job of ensuring that comprehensive, quality 
health care was available not just for the residents of the U.S. Virgin 
Islands, but for the Caribbean region as well.
  By all accounts, Rodney Miller did an excellent job, administering 
the 250-bed acute care Schneider Hospital, as well as the Charlotte 
Kimelman Cancer Institute and the Myrah Keating Smith Community Health 
Center on St. John in a manner that has advanced health care in the 
territory.
  Most noteworthy among his accomplishments was the emphasis on 
improved patient care and the opening of the Charlotte Kimelman Cancer 
Institute. With an announced emphasis on quality patient care, enhanced 
customer service and improved cleanliness of the health facilities, 
Miller embarked upon a course for change that was driven by the 
expressed needs of patients. He emphasized that being the only choice 
for health care for most of the residents of the island meant that 
quality care was a must. He equally emphasized that Schneider Regional 
should be a good place for employees as well.
  With the opening of the Charlotte Kimelman Cancer Institute in 2006, 
Rodney Miller and his administrative and medical team worked to realize 
the dream of many in the territory for a ``world class cancer care 
facility with an array of support services and resources'' that would 
allow patients to seek treatment at home, closer to the comfort of 
family and friends. Rodney Miller's leadership in health care has been 
marked by this and other noteworthy accomplishments in the territory.
  In addition to his duties as head of Schneider Regional, Rodney 
Miller immersed himself in the civic activities of the community, and 
in 2004 was named Person of the Year by Rotary II Club of St. Thomas. 
Just last year, he received the 2006 Wilbur ``Bill'' LaMotta Community 
Service Award from the St. Thomas-St. John Chamber of Commerce.
  His peers in the health care profession have long acknowledged his 
extraordinary talent. In 2002, he received the Young Healthcare 
Executive of the Year Award from the National Association of Health 
Services Executives. In 2003, he received the American College of 
Healthcare Executives' Regents Award and in 2005, he was elected to 
serve as president of the National Association of Health Services 
Executives. In 2006, he was named one of the Top 25 Minority Healthcare 
Executives by Modem Healthcare Magazine.
  Recently, Rodney Miller announced that he has accepted a new position 
in the Florida health care system. I know that he will distinguish 
himself there as well, but we in the Virgin Islands wanted to express 
our thanks to him for the good work that he did in the territory for 
the past 5 years. On behalf of the people of the Virgin Islands, 
particularly those on the island of St. Thomas, I wish Rodney Miller 
bon voyage and great success in his new endeavor. He has definitely 
left health care in the territory in better shape than when he got 
there, and for that we are all grateful.

                          ____________________