Colleagues,

I was honored by friends of Rick Miles to receive an invitation to make a presentation at his retirement party, as arranged by the Russell Springs Hospital, last weekend.

Rick was an early graduate from what eventually became UofL DFGM. He was part of the St. Anthony’s Hospital Residency Training Program, during 1977 – 1980. He was in the first cohort of residents where I was a faculty supervisor. He has been in practice of Family Medicine in Russell Springs, KY for about 35 years!

As I reflect upon the many graduates from our UofL DFGM training program that I knew until transferring to UofL SPHIS in 2005, Rick Miles, MD stands out in a category as “best-ever” resident graduate. Others from UofL DFGM may join him in that category by some criteria, but seeing him in his home – with loving Family members present that extend over three generations, and within a community context that is so appreciative of him and his services, was simply heart-warming and inspiring.

Rick’s scope of activities in Family Medicine was huge. Besides serving to patient needs in multiple sites (clinic, hospital, ER, home, nursing home, etc.) over typical 60-80 hour work weeks, he held key positions in KAFP, served on multiple CMS Medicaid Committees, and multiple Kentucky Medical Association Committees. He was awarded the KAFP Kentucky Citizen Doctor of the Year Award in 2010.

Rick will continue in part time practice in Russell Springs, upon request from hospital administrators and CEO during a transition period. He will also remain involved with medical issues from other sites and perspectives, albeit without the intensity of daily issues in clinical practice of Family Medicine.

The messages from his community in Russell Springs was clear – He will be missed as THE local Family Doc….

Robert Wm. Prasaad Steiner, MD PhD
Professor, Department Health Management and Systems Science
UofL School of Public Health and Information Sciences
and
Adjunct Professor, Department Family and Geriatric Medicine
UofL School of Medicine
485 East Gray Street Room 115
Louisville, KY 40202-1741