Commissioner, Virginia Department of Health

Dr. Karen Remley was appointed Virginia’s Health Commissioner in January, 2008.  She is the principal public health advisor to the Governor, Secretary of Health and Human Resources, the Virginia General Assembly and the Board of Health.  Dr. Remley supervises an agency with an annual budget of $535 million. 

The Virginia Department of Health’s mission is to promote and protect the health of all Virginians.  It fulfills this mission through the delivery of public health services by 4,500 employees and 119 health departments that are organized into 35 health districts throughout the Commonwealth.  The department has 41 separate service areas, including communicable disease investigation and control, immunization, chronic disease prevention and oral health, drinking water, environmental health, emergency preparedness and response, and emergency medical services.  Dr. Remley’s responsibilities also encompass the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, the licensure and inspection of nursing homes and hospitals, the administration of vital records and the review and approval of applications by health care providers to expand facilities and services in Virginia communities.

Among Dr. Remley’s priorities are her statewide initiative to reduce Virginia’s infant mortality rate, the activities of her working group to reduce childhood and adult obesity, and a new advisory group of university and private infectious disease experts to help prevent and control the spread of infectious diseases such as the new influenza A (H1N1) virus.  She also has established a medical liaison position to improve communications between public health and private medicine in the Commonwealth. 

Among her accomplishments, Dr. Remley instituted a tobacco-free zone at the department’s central office headquarters in Richmond and she provided advice and counsel to Governor Timothy Kaine as part of his successful effort to enact legislation banning smoking in restaurants.  In addition, Dr. Remley led efforts to improve the reimbursement of funds to the department for clinical services provided to insured patients. 

Prior to her appointment as Virginia’s Health Commissioner, Dr. Remley was Vice President of Medical Affairs for Sentara Leigh Hospital in Norfolk, Virginia.  She directed medical staff relationships with 500 physicians and advanced practitioners.  She also was responsible for Infection Control, Clinical Effectiveness, Risk Management, Health Information Services, Radiology, the Medical Care Management Department and the Palliative Care Program. 

Previously, Dr. Remley was Medical Director for External Quality at Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield of Virginia, leading efforts to improve patient safety and care in hospitals; she served as Chief Executive Officer of Physicians for Peace, an international medical education organization with programs in over 20 countries; and she was the Chief Medical Officer for Operation Smile.  She has been a practicing physician and emergency pediatrician for 25 years.

Dr. Remley received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Biology with Distinction from the University of Missouri-Kansas City and her Doctor of Medicine from the same institution.  She completed her Pediatrics Residency at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. 

She holds professional certifications from the American Board of Medical Examiners, the American Board of Pediatrics and Pediatric Emergency Medicine and is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics.  She also received a Master of Business Administration degree from Duke University. 

Posts by this Commissioner: