Rethinking The United States ’ Military Health System

During Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom (2001 – 2014), the United States’ military health system completely transformed its approach to casualty care, achieving the highest rate of survival from battlefield wounds in the history of warfare. It is one of the most remarkable accomplishments in the history of US medicine. Ironically, the same health care system that worked miracles “down range” in Iraq and Afghanistan faces mounting criticism at home. How can this be? In part, it is because the military health system has two distinctive missions: support combat and humanitarian assistance missions overseas and provide comprehensive health services to millions of service members, their families, and military retirees at home. The core mission of the military health system is unique. Unlike the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and large, private health care systems, the military health system must be ready to deploy thousands of health care providers to the other side of the world at a moment’s notice and fly critically wounded warfighters home within one to three days of injury [Photo]. Since the founding of our Republic, military medicine has supported our armed forces whenever and wherever they go in harm’s way. The other mission of the military health system is to deliver health care at home through a network of military hospitals and clinics, supplemented by health care purchased from thousands of private doctors and other providers. This secon...
Source: Health Affairs Blog - Category: Health Management Authors: Tags: Costs and Spending Featured Organization and Delivery Population Health Quality American College of Surgeons Department of Veterans Affairs Jonathan Letterman military health care National Defense Authorization Act TRICARE Source Type: blogs