PEORIA PHYSICIAN RECEIVES LIFETIME
ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FOR PEDIATRIC CARE

PEORIA, Ill. – Dr. Eric E. Whitaker, state public health director, today presented Dr. Rick F. Miller, M.D., a physician at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center, with the Ron W. Lee, M.D. Excellence in Pediatric Care Award for his contributions to pediatric medicine.

The Ron W. Lee, M.D. Excellence in Pediatric Care Awards are given annually by the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Illinois Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC) program to recognize those dedicated to pediatric emergency care and childhood injury prevention initiatives. Nominees can be nominated in one of three-award categories-Lifetime Achievement, Clinical Excellence and Community Service. Dr. Miller received the Lifetime Achievement Award.

“It is my honor to recognize Dr. Miller for his 31 years of pediatric service at OSF Saint Francis,” said Dr. Whitaker. “He has not only held prestigious and demanding positions as a physician but he continues to show his commitment to the care of children through his volunteer work, his participation in many community activities and committees and boards of which he is a member.”

Currently, Dr. Miller is board certified in Pediatrics and Emergency Medicine and is an active staff physician for the Department of Emergency Medicine. He is the EMS Medical Director for the Peoria system and serves on the OSF Saint Francis Medical Center Trauma Committee, Regional Services Committee, and the Access to Care Committee. Dr. Miller is also Clinical Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine and Clinical Associate Professor Pediatrics at University of Illinois College of Medicine, Peoria campus.

The following highlights Dr. Miller’s current community work:

“When I think of an advocate for pediatrics, I think of Rick Miller,” said Sue Behrens, RN, Manager Trauma Services OSF, Saint Francis Medical Center. “He has devoted significant time and effort to promoting and advancing childhood initiatives, and worked positively to change the manner in which we care for children through his multiple publications, and volunteer medical mission work he does yearly in Haiti.”

Dr. Miller has published work in various topics and some of his current community activities include; Child Death Review Team (Central Illinois), Prevent Child Abuse Illinois, Medical Director for Peoria Civic Center and, Medical Director for the Medical Reserve Corps and American Red Cross in Peoria.

In addition to his community work, Dr. Miller volunteers for two weeks in Haiti every year with a medical mission team called Friends of the Children of Haiti (FOTCOH). He is also a board member and sits on the FOTCOH Medical Advisory Committee. Dr. Miller was also responsible for setting up the program for the Emergency Medicine residents to participate and receive credit (with the University of Illinois College of Medicine) while volunteering at the FOTCOH clinic.

Earlier today, in Chicago, the following recipients received a Ron W. Lee, M.D. Excellence in Pediatric Care Awards for their work:

The Ron W. Lee, M.D. award is presented each May as part of Emergency Medical Services Week observances. Dr. Lee was the director of emergency medicine at Loyola University Medical Center and was instrumental in establishing and fostering the EMSC program in Illinois. He passed away in 1998.