The Goshen College Science Speaker Series presents:

Dr. J.D. Miller, M.D., FACP
Vice President , Medical Affairs
Appalachian Regional Healthcare,
Hazard, KY

With 65% of its land and coal holdings owned by companies outside the region, Central Appalachia has often been referred to as an internal colony. Lacking other local resources, the coal companies, through their company doctors and company hospitals, provided most of the healthcare in the region until the United Mine Workers of America opened its first hospital in Middlesboro, Kentucky in 1955 and followed in 1956 by opening a chain of hospitals throughout Eastern Kentucky, southwestern Virginia, and Southern West Virginia. After going bankrupt, most of these hospitals were reopened in 1963 by the newly formed Appalachian Regional Hospitals, Inc (ARH). The company, which was later renamed Appalachian Regional Healthcare, now has nine hospitals, 12 clinics, outpatient pharmacies, home care stores, and a large home health service. ARH continues to provide much of the healthcare in this region, which still lacks the financial base to otherwise support quality care. From his 33 years of working to provide healthcare in Central Appalachia, Dr. Miller will speak of the many opportunities for healthcare professionals to provide significant service.