AdventHealth Heartland Diagnostic Imaging Manager Casie Miller, MHA, CRA, RT(R) CT M ARRT, found her perfect career after first taking a nursing course. It was an injury, of all things, that pushed her toward diagnostic imaging.
“I was influenced to go into healthcare by my father who is a retired firefighter/paramedic. I always admired his desire to care for and help others and the joy he received from his profession,” Miller says. “I took a Certified Nursing Assistant course in high school and quickly realized that I had zero interest in nursing and that field was not for me. Shortly after, I had a sports injury and required X-rays of my ankle. This was my first real introduction to radiology, and I realized that imaging was what I had been looking for all along!”
She knows she made the correct choice.
“I love my career because it is a means to give back to my community and really take an interest in the needs of the people around me,” Miller explains. “Healthcare is comprised of such a vast array of opportunities to care for our consumers. Radiology allows me to meet people in the worst times of their lives and offer a small glimmer of hope and kindness. As the imaging manager, I use my passion for our consumers to engage my team in growing their connections to the consumer and increase the positivity of their experiences with the team, the consumers and their peers.”
Looking ahead, the future of diagnostic imaging excites Miller.
“The imaging horizon is bright, especially right now! There are so many new ideas coming to light, I think those that most interest me are remote scanning opportunities and how sites are working to fine tuning their processes for safety, efficiency and patient satisfaction,” she says. “I also am excited about the new program being offered soon from ARRT, MR Technology Assistant. This certification will be a game changer for many facilities to have dedicated MR tech assistants who are certified in the field and really understand the needs and expectations of the modality.”
She is also excited about the future of the imaging professionals she works with at AdventHealth. Her leadership style includes an open-door policy with a desire to serve and empower her colleagues.
“My approach to leadership is simple, I lean towards being a democratic leader, and I truly appreciate having in-depth conversations with my team surrounding numerous important topics,” Miller explains. “I push for an autonomous sentiment on my team, with the understanding that learning and growing are never ending, and transformation and enthusiasm are keys to success. I’m also a firm believer in servant leadership; my team cannot perform if they do not have the tools they need or feel safe and cared for in their workplace. At AdventHealth we thrive on servant leadership, a team that is well cared for, will in turn make the same caring connection with their consumers.”
Miller is quick to point out that others have empowered her.
“I have had a few great mentors throughout my career, and I must give them all credit. Andrew Santos, CEO of AdventHealth North Pinellas; Justin Evans, executive director and administrator of AdventHealth Lake Placid; Zbigniew Nawrocki, assistant vice president of ancillary services of AdventHealth Heartland; and Victoria Selley, MD, CMO, of AdventHealth Heartland,” Miller says. “Over the past few years and time with my mentors, I have learned many lessons in operations, leadership, budget creation and production, and employee engagement. I think the most precious of these lessons were hospital operations and how they connect to employee engagement and patient satisfaction.”
“Most recently, Victoria has begun mentoring me and it is immensely refreshing to have a strong female leader who thrives in their environment, truly enjoys teaching, and is excited to help other female leaders learn and grow in their own careers,” she adds. “I cannot thank my mentors enough; I truly appreciate all they have taught and continue to teach me throughout my career; they are blazing a path for future leaders each day. Presently, I do not mentor an imaging professional, although I am open to the prospect. I do maintain an open-door policy to ensure I am accessible to all that may need help or conversation, perhaps soon I will have the opportunity to pay it forward by mentoring a future imaging leader.”
Miller is a leader with many accomplishments, but one stands out.
“The greatest accomplishment of my career thus far is completing my CRA, Certified Radiology Administrator certification, through the AHRA. This was the point when I felt I had really ‘made it’ and was able to show everything I had learned and that I could apply all the knowledge I had learned throughout my career,” she says.
“I would like to share that for any imaging professionals who are interested in leadership or are currently in leadership, joining the AHRA and sitting for the CRA certification is a great opportunity to gain knowledge and connect with like-minded individuals in the field,” she adds. “It is important to stay connected and up to date on current events in imaging, attending conferences, listening to speakers in webinars or podcasts, and directed readings are all essential and offered through numerous organizations such as ICE and AHRA.”
It is hard to image that an injury could be a good thing, but the diagnostic imaging field continues to benefit from the time Casie Miller went in for X-rays to diagnose a sports injury.
1. What is the last book you read?“Reset” by Dan Heath
2. What is your favorite movie? My favorite movie is such a hard pick! Anything with Johnny Depp like “The Pirates of the Caribbean.”
3. What is something most of your coworkers don’t know about you? Something that most of my coworkers do not know about me is that I am half Canadian and half American.
4. What is one thing you do every morning to start your day? One thing I do every morning to start my day is read my daily devotion and say a prayer. Having a spiritual connection is very important to me and helps me to start my day on the right foot.
5. Who has had the biggest influence on your life? The biggest influence in my life has been on my parents. They have always been my cheerleaders, they are who I get my work ethic from – I grew up watching them work for everything they have in life, they taught me the importance of family and caring for others, and they are who taught me the necessary morals and life skills I needed to navigate adulthood, and corporate America.
6. What would your superpower be? Mind reading! My oh my that could be a blessing and a curse.
7. What are your hobbies? My hobbies are walking, swimming, especially at the beach, shopping, reading, traveling and spending time with my nieces and nephews.
8. What is your perfect meal? The perfect meal would be a Maine baked potato, roasted root vegetables and teriyaki tofu.
