Improving Care During Peacetime, War, and Disasters

Goralnick, Eric; Elster, Eric A.; Woodson, Jonathan

doi:10.1097/sla.0000000000005606

Cited by 6 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 8 publications

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“…[ 25 ] and Goralnick et al. [ 26 ], both acknowledge the importance of such civilian–military partnerships beyond disaster and emergency situations to increase healthcare system resiliency. El Bcheraoui et al.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The response of the Military Health System (MHS) to the COVID-19 pandemic: a summary of findings from MHS reviews

Pomer,

Munigala,

Coles

et al. 2024

Health Res Policy Sys

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Introduction The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused major disruptions to the US Military Health System (MHS). In this study, we evaluated the MHS response to the pandemic to understand the impact of the pandemic response in a large, national, integrated healthcare system providing care for ~ 9 million beneficiaries. Methods We performed a narrative literature review of 16 internal Department of Defense (DoD) reports, including reviews mandated by the US Congress in response to the pandemic. We categorized the findings using the Doctrine, Organization, Training, Materiel, Leadership, Personnel, Facilities, and Policy (DOTMLPF-P) framework developed by the DoD to assess system efficiency and effectiveness. Results The majority of the findings were in the policy, organization, and personnel categories. Key findings showed that the MHS structure to address surge situations was beneficial during the pandemic response, and the rapid growth of telehealth created the potential impact for improved access to routine and specialized care. However, organizational transition contributed to miscommunication and uneven implementation of policies; disruptions affected clinical training, upskilling, and the supply chain; and staffing shortages contributed to burnout among healthcare workers. Conclusion Given its highly integrated, vertical structure, the MHS was in a better position than many civilian healthcare networks to respond efficiently to the pandemic. However, similar to the US civilian sector, the MHS also experienced delays in care, staffing and materiel challenges, and a rapid switch to telehealth. Lessons regarding the importance of communication and preparation for future public health emergency responses are relevant to civilian healthcare systems responding to COVID-19 and other similar public health crises.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The response of the Military Health System (MHS) to the COVID-19 pandemic: a summary of findings from MHS reviews

Pomer,

Munigala,

Coles

et al. 2024

Health Res Policy Sys

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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Military Civilian Partnership at the University of Chicago Trauma Center

Jaszczak,

Plackett,

Wilson

2024

Creating a Modern Trauma Center

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The Military Medical Officer’s Current-Day Professional Identity: An Enhanced Model

et al. 2023

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Background As the landscapes of war have evolved, so too has the role of the military medical officer (MMO). Colonel (Retired) Barry Wolcott developed a “vector” model in the 1990s, illustrating the dual professional role of the MMO. Since then, propelled by the War on Terror, MMOs have adapted to treating patients in volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous operational environments. This study, therefore, aimed to explore modern-day aspects of the MMO’s role in order to enhance Wolcott’s depiction of the MMO’s professional identity in contemporary operational environments. Materials and Methods We used the qualitative phenomenological tradition to design our study. We interviewed military physicians from a variety of specialties in order to explore their experiences and professional identity as MMOs. Our research team then coded each of these interview transcripts. We organized these codes into categories, which served as the themes of our study. Results The following themes emerged from our data regarding the role of the MMO in the operational environment: Primary roles (officer, physician, educator, and diplomat) and aptitudes (innovation, advocacy, cultural competency, and leadership). The MMO’s roles as officer and physician often intersect, with dual foci on the mission and the patient. The MMO also serves as an educator to medics and line officers. In addition, they act as diplomats both outside and within the military. Within each of these primary roles, the MMO innovatively prepares for future landscapes of war and advocates for both the individual warfighter and the unit/command. Finally, the MMO navigates both foreign and internal cultural differences and demonstrates leadership in enabling the military’s mission. Conclusions The role of the MMO is complex and multifaceted. The recognition of the contemporary MMO’s unique skill set is essential for the effective education and training of future military health care leaders. The value of capitalizing on this unique skill set has been demonstrated in recent civ-mil responses. Because their intricate skill set is specialized for the operational environment, long-term retention of MMOs is key to force readiness.

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Improving Care During Peacetime, War, and Disasters

Cited by 6 publications

References 8 publications

The response of the Military Health System (MHS) to the COVID-19 pandemic: a summary of findings from MHS reviews

The response of the Military Health System (MHS) to the COVID-19 pandemic: a summary of findings from MHS reviews

Military Civilian Partnership at the University of Chicago Trauma Center

The Military Medical Officer’s Current-Day Professional Identity: An Enhanced Model

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