Grants Pass, OR – The Northwest Regional Primary Care Association (NWRPCA) has awarded Dr. Kristin Miller, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of Siskiyou Community Health Center, with the Summit Award for her guidance and fearless leadership in tackling the multi-faceted issue of patient opioid addiction. She has been able to successfully redirect the otherwise bleak future of Josephine County patients while also boosting the clinic’s ability to recruit and retain quality healthcare professionals.

Dr. Miller’s work in addressing the opioid crisis includes working closely with the clinic’s CCOs (Coordinated Care Organizations) to secure the necessary resources for such a large undertaking. During Dr. Miller’s appointment as CMO, Siskiyou Community Health Center was designated as a pilot location for consultants to come onsite and help establish prescribing and appointment guidelines, classes, and monthly support groups. All of these resources have collectively led to the positive redirection of the opioid epidemic.

Coming to Siskiyou Community Health Center as a National Health Service Corps Scholar, Dr. Kristin Miller has been a family practice provider with the clinic since 1999. Through her hard work, dedication to her patients, and her high standards of care, Dr. Miller has excelled in meeting the complex and often difficult to treat health issues that plague the residents of southern Oregon.

 

When Dr. Miller accepted the position of CMO at Siskiyou Community Health Center in 2013, she was all too familiar with the issues associated with patient care and opioid addiction. She was also aware of the issues inherent in the healthcare system when it came to addressing those addiction issues, particularly the implications for healthcare providers and the clinic’s inability to retain quality providers. Burnout was common and providers were unable to sustain the heavy workload brought on by trying to manage too many complex cases of patients addicted to opioids. It was her firsthand experience and desire for drastic change that drove Dr. Miller to start focusing on providing patient resources that ultimately led to provider solutions.

Dr. Miller is the epitome of driving change within our community. Her passion and involvement in improving the opioid recovery process for both patients and their providers have been instrumental in the progress being made in Southern Oregon. She has demonstrated the rare ability to balance her full patient panel and executive leadership responsibilities with her efforts in the opioid addiction arena.

Siskiyou Community Health Center continues to provide an affordable solution for quality healthcare. 

As a not-for-profit federally qualified health center, SCHC is able to offer a sliding fee scale for patients with no insurance. For those with insurance, SCHC also accepts most insurance plans including the Oregon Health Plan and Medicare. Siskiyou Community Health Center is a private, not-for-profit, equal opportunity provider and employer.