Is Dr. Miller really retired?

WOOSTER — Dr. John K. Miller claims that he’s retired but his nearly full schedule serving as the medical director for two local nursing homes seems to suggest otherwise.

“Years ago, almost everyone went to the nursing home, now very few of the primary doctors go to the nursing homes. It’s a big need and I enjoy it but I feel it’s giving back a little. Somebody needs to take care of those people as they get older,” Miller said.

Miller has worked at area nursing homes since he started his family practice in Wooster nearly 40 years ago. In semi-retirement, he continues to serve as the director at West View Healthy Living and the Wayne County Care Center. He’s already enjoyed part of his retirement visiting his three daughters who live in Oregon and plans to take a trip to the Greek Isles in the spring.

Being a college town and not far from his hometown of Louisville, Wooster proved a perfect spot for Miller to open his first practice in 1980. It didn’t hurt that Wooster Community Hospital was hurting for primary care doctors and Miller opened his first office across the street in the Winter Building. He hired one nurse, Marty Shatmeyer, who also served as the receptionist and cleaning service.

“Within weeks of opening, I was so busy with patients that it became apparent that I needed more people to work with me,” he said.

Dr. Robert Anderson, an internal medicine doctor, had retired shortly before Miller arrived and the new doctor inherited many of Anderson’s former patients. In one year, Miller cared for 114 newborns at the hospital including a set of triplets.

His practice of 5,000 patients, being on call nightly, and only four days off each month was a situation ripe for burnout so, in 1989, Miller collaborated with other physicians to build the current Milltown Professional Building and establish Milltown Family Physicians.

Miller always tried to find physicians that were well-trained, qualified and had a good attitude and good approach to care. He’d also take into consideration where they were from which could determine whether they were more likely to stay. It was a turn off if a candidate’s absolute first question was, “How much am I going to make?”

“If you take care of patients and do well, you’ll make enough money,” said Miller, who encourages current and future doctors to always listen to their patients, ask about their lives, don’t let the business of health care get in the way of patient care and to follow up with patients after their visit.

“Patients need to think you care. If they do, they’ll give you some leeway if you make a little mess up. We all make mistakes. If they think you’re arrogant, don’t listen, don’t care, you think they’re going to give you a little leeway?” Miller said.

Many of his patients shared how much Miller cared for them at his recent retirement party saying things such as “He really listens to you,” and “You are not just another patient.” One patient compared losing Miller to “falling off a cliff.”

“Dr. Miller has sacrificed so much over the years for the common good of many others. He did this by his subtle and small daily habits, which shaped the Wooster community significantly as his impact on individuals and families will forever remain immeasurable,” said Christy Ranney, whose husband, Dr. Christopher Ranney, is one of the remaining partners at Milltown Family Physicians along with Drs. Amy Jolliff, Eric Smith, Paul Nielsen, John Schinner and John Prokop.

Miller prided himself on keeping good charts but he listed electronic health records as one of the greatest positives he’s seen in health care since he started practicing. He could access charts quickly and it was easy to keep track of patients’ prescriptions and past procedures. His biggest concern was the role of insurance.

“Back when I started, insurance was just meant for catastrophic events. Patients paid $15 cash when they came for an office visit. Insurance has really driven up the costs of medical care, and it frustrates the patients the most,” Miller said.

He sees health care in America moving toward a single-payer system but doesn’t know what form it will take. He believes it will be unique to the United States and likely to decrease physicians’ income but be better for the welfare of the general population.

“People want three things in health care: They want it fast and efficient. They want it the best and they want it cheap, and you can’t get all three of those. You can’t do it,” Miller said. “Americans want those things. I don’t think you can have all three. You gotta give a little here and a little there.”

Reporter Emily Morgan can be reached at 330-287-1632 or [email protected].

CREDIT: EMILY MORGAN