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Former Undersecretary for Health to address campus

Approximately 643 graduates are expected to receive degrees from MUSC's six colleges during commencement exercises scheduled for 9 a.m. May 16 in the university’s Horseshoe.
 
Dr. Ken Kizer

Kenneth W. Kizer, M.D., former Under-secretary for Health in the U. S. Depart-ment of Veterans Affairs and current chairman of the board of Medsphere Systems Corp., will deliver the commencement address. He will receive a Doctor of Medical Science, honoris causa.
 
Other honorees and their degrees include William A. “Bill” Baker Jr., business executive and philanthropist, Doctor of Humane Letters;Yoshito Kaziro, M.D., PhD, professor and director, Horizontal Medical Research Organization, Kyoto University School of Medicine, Doctor of Medical Science, honoris causa; Samuel Nkrumah Yeboah, president and co-director, Project OKURASE and owner, Powerful Drums, Doctor of Humane Letters; State Sen. William H. O’Dell, Doctor of Humane Letters; State Sen. Harvey S. Peeler Jr., Doctor of Humane Letters.
 
Kizer is an internationally recognized advocate for improving health care quality and safety through information technology. He served as Undersecretary for Health in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs from 1994 to 1999. He is credited with transforming VA health care delivery. Under Kizer’s leadership, the VA management structure was reorganized, new programs were created at lower costs, and the standard of care was enhanced dramatically. Although he left the VA nine years ago, his visionary leadearship and legacy remains. Currently, the VA has the highest consumer satisfaction rating of any public or private sector health care system, and it is recognized as one of the best in the nation.

   

Friday, May 9, 2008
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