Little did Bill Miller know that taking a job working in the laundry room of a small skilled nursing facility in Utah when he was 16, would shape his future career in elder care.
As Bill tells it, he quickly learned that he enjoyed interacting with the residents of the nursing home. Starting at the ground level and rising through many operational roles, gave him a hands-on, facility-level understanding of care delivery. Over the next five years that role evolved into maintenance and gave him hands-on experience in nearly every department of the building. Working alongside caregivers and witnessing the daily impact of quality care on residents and their families profoundly shaped his path.
He went on to earn an undergraduate degree in Long Term Care Healthcare Administration from Weber State University and an MBA from Washington State University.
Throughout his career, Bill has held various leadership roles, including Nursing Home
Administrator, Senior Administrator, Regional Vice President of Operations overseeing up to 12 centers, Vice President of Operations for 45 centers, Chief Operating Officer for 70 centers, and ultimately Chief Executive Officer of Vertical Health Services, where he works today.
Success at Turning Around Struggling Facilities
His commitment to the industry is reflected in his service on the Washington Healthcare Association board of directors, where he was recognized with an award in 2019 for his advocacy efforts. He currently serves as the Board Chair of the Washington Healthcare Association board of directors.
Recognized for his operational depth, advocacy for resident-focused care, and pragmatic leadership style, Bill is committed to elevating standards and outcomes in a challenging long-term care environment.
Bill describes his personal and professional values as an unrelenting commitment to improvement and transparency. His patient-first leadership is the driving force behind his skill at turning around struggling facilities, along with a commitment to compliance and quality standards. He has overseen facility expansions and strategic acquisitions, making significant post-acquisition improvements.
Reflecting on his career success, Bill says, “Success isn’t something you reach; it’s something you practice. The moment you stop improving, you stop being successful.”
Striving to be the Change In Elder Care
As one of his associates at Vertical Health Services says, “Bill constantly strives to be the change in the elder care industry. His personal core values resonate every day in our company and that absolutely trickles down to the staff we support and the residents we care for.”
For Bill Miller, creating Vertical Health Services was the single most stressful time in his life, recalls the associate. “He didn’t sleep pretty much the entire first year. He knew he had employees, both corporate level and facility level, who were counting on him for paychecks and security. I don’t know all the countless efforts he made to ensure everyone received their paychecks on time every single payday, but I know there were a lot.”
Bill’s dedication has paid off. Because of his ethical leadership and unrelenting efforts to continually find start-up funding in Vertical Health’s first year, the company is successful today. Although he is very humble and gives credit to his team, the truth is that he inspired his team, and they, in turn, trusted him and worked tirelessly for him and the company.
Bill does say this, “My operating company Vertical Health Services should have failed very quickly. This was related to the extremely distressed nature caused by prior owners of the homes. My pride is in the team that stuck it out and allies that assisted us during the first year. Earning their trust is my greatest professional accomplishment. The company is very strong two and a half years in.”
Passionate About Family
While Bill may be a bit humble about his professional accomplishments, he is proud to talk about his daughters, “I am most proud that my daughters are significantly better people in every way than I am. No success outranks watching your children surpass you.”
To turn off the stress of being a busy executive, Bill turns to his love of sports., especially watching his daughters compete athletically. His eldest daughter competed at the national level in volleyball and received several collegiate opportunities. His youngest daughter excels in equestrian eventing and softball.
His professional and personal life reflect his dedication to excellence and his deep commitment to his family and community. To give back, he supports various youth athletic programs in his community. As he says, “Athletics have become expensive and in today’s world there is very little that teaches personal accountability, accountability to a team, and growth, both personally and as a member of a team, better than sports.”
Envisioning the Future of Healthcare
Bill Miller has a visionary perspective on the future of health care, and he envisions a world where health and social care come together to deliver whole-person care to everyone in need.
His career reflects a deep commitment to improving long-term care systems and supporting the professionals who deliver them.
With his vast experience, Bill’s knowledge is key to the present and a future where skilled nursing facilities meet the requirements and expectations of the industry and comply with state and federal regulations. Just as important, if not more so, is meeting the expectations of patients and their families. For Bill Miller it’s going a step beyond and exceeding those expectations.
Bill recalls his 16-year-old self and the impression the residents of the skilled nursing facility where he worked left on him. It’s something that informs his everyday decisions. Each resident of a nursing facility is a person with a family, friends and a life story to tell. Bill’s mission is to give them the best care possible in an environment that makes them feel at home.