Category: US Navy

Source: United States Navy (Medical)

Naval Medical Center San Diego (NMCSD) proudly celebrates National Medical Staff Services Awareness Week, honoring the invaluable contributions of our medical staff professionals who work tirelessly to uphold the highest standards of quality and safety in patient care, Nov. 3-9.

“These dedicated individuals are the gatekeepers of quality patient care, ensuring every provider at NMCSD is fully qualified and equipped to deliver exceptional care to our beneficiaries,” said Cmdr. Angela Viers, Chief Medical Officer and Staff Neurosurgeon at NMCSD.

Medical staff services teams play a critical role behind the scenes, meticulously managing the credentialing and privileging process for healthcare providers. They rigorously verify that each physician, nurse, and specialist meets stringent qualifications and maintains competencies to deliver safe, effective, and compassionate care. Their work is essential in safeguarding patient well-being and supporting a reliable and efficient healthcare environment.

“Our medical staff professionals are the unsung heroes of patient safety,” added Viers. “Their expertise in credentialing and quality assurance ensures that every provider at NMCSD is equipped to deliver the highest standards of care. We are deeply grateful for their commitment to excellence.”

National Medical Staff Services Awareness Week provides an opportunity to recognize these professionals for their vital role in the healthcare system. Their diligence and attention to detail are fundamental to creating a trusted medical environment, enhancing both patient and provider confidence in the quality of care at NMCSD.

NMCSD’s mission is to prepare service members for deployment, deliver comprehensive health services, and advance military medicine through education, training, and research.

Employing over 5,000 personnel across Southern California, NMCSD is committed to delivering world-class patient care while upholding the highest standards of healthcare excellence.

Source: United States Navy (Medical)

Naval Medical Center Camp Lejeune (NMCCL) staff are being recognized for their outstanding work in the Defense Health Network (DHN) Atlantic’s Joint Outpatient Experience Survey (JOES) “Best of the Best” report for the third quarter of Fiscal Year 2024.

JOES, administered by the Office of the Surgeon General, is a survey that is mailed to patients soliciting their input regarding the care received at the medical facility they were seen in. The survey focuses on how the provider communicated with the patient, a patient’s access to care, cleanliness of the facility and courtesy of the staff.

The input from the patient is then used to enhance patient experience and ensure the top performers receive recognition for their outstanding customer service. To be recognized as being among the best of the best, the awardees had to maintain a 100% satisfaction rating with a minimum of 10 customer surveys.

NMCCL’s awardees include:
Jennifer Jewell, Family Medicine Physician
Intrepid Spirit Center Neurology Clinic
BMC Mainside Optometry Clerks/Receptionists
Internal Medicine Clerks/Receptionists
Ophthalmology Clerks/Receptionists
Urology Clerks/Receptionists

“I think I have the best job in the world working at the Intrepid Spirit Center and helping service members who’ve sustained a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI),” said Dr. Tom Johnson, neurologist and retired U.S. Navy captain with Intrepid Spirit’s neurology clinic. “Our care is focused on taking care of service members who sustain a concussion and help them return to the highest level of function possible afterwards. It’s a holistic, integrated interdisciplinary clinic, and we try to take care and evaluate each individual, looking at them from 360 degrees.”

For Johnson, the “Best of the Best” recognition really extends beyond him to the rest of the clinic.

“Here the health care system is built around [patients], and I think that the interdisciplinary approach and the positive staff interactions are probably some of the major reasons why the clinic was recognized in the current JOES report, and I appreciate our patients who took the time to fill them out and send them back.”

For the clerks and receptionist from urology, ophthalmology, and internal medicine this recognition isn’t the first time this year; they were also recognized as “Best of the Best” for the second quarter of Fiscal Year 2024.

U.S. Navy Capt. Anja Dabelić, commanding officer of NMCCL, praised the unwavering dedication of the awardees in providing positive customer experiences throughout their interaction.

“Amazing to see our staff engaged and setting the standard for our patient’s experiences and their satisfaction in the care received at NMCCL,” said Dabelić. “Your genuine efforts have impact to our patients and show you are stakeholders in our Medical Center, leveraging our culture to exemplify the behaviors you want to see in others. Thank you for raising the bar and helping us shine bright across the Defense Health Network Atlantic!”

NMCCL has provided more than 80 years of dedicated, passionate care for warfighters and beneficiaries at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune.

Source: United States Navy (Medical)

SAN DIEGO – Fleet Week San Diego’s Innovation Zone on Broadway Pier has kicked off, and Naval Health Research Center (NHRC) is back for its seventh year.

From November 6-8, the Innovation Zone’s hands on exhibits engage with science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) students from all over San Diego County, on both future career opportunities and scientific research. NHRC’s goal is to capture the interest of the next generation of researchers and scientist, showing them unique pathways through military health research and fostering a further interest in STEM fields.

NHRC’s Chief Science Director, Dr. Ken Earhart said, “While San Diego is a large hub for the military community, many students are not aware of the many fascinating STEM roles that help our nation’s forces, especially the jobs that don’t involve being on the front lines. Since its inception, Fleet Week’s STEM Days Innovation Zone, has helped show off our positive research efforts to the community and grow student interest in a wide array of scientific fields. Our staff is passionate about sharing our work to inspire young students to stay curious.”

Scientists from NHRC adapt complex research and information into engaging tasks for the students to understand some of the ways their findings help to improve the lives of U.S. servicemembers. STEM students take part in interactive activities such as a Y-balance test, which helps scientist determine if a subject has mobility or stability issues, or problems with muscle strength deficits. The studies on display cover a broad spectrum from infectious disease, physical readiness, and rehabilitation to the mental well-being of the warfighters and their families.

NHRC’s mission is to optimize the operational readiness and health of our armed forces and families by conducting research, development, testing, and evaluation informing Department of Defense policy. NHRC supports military mission readiness with research and development that delivers high-value, high-impact solutions to the health and readiness challenges our military population faces on the battlefield, at sea, on foreign shores and at home. NHRC’s team of distinguished scientists and researchers consists of active-duty service members, federal civil service employees and contractors, whose expertise includes physiology, microbiology, psychology, operations research and data science, epidemiology, and biomedical engineering.

Source: United States Navy (Medical)

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. – The Transport Center at Naval Medical Center Camp Lejeune (NMCCL) now have five specially-designed kits to help in transporting patients with special needs. The “Carter Kits” are part of a grant from North Carolina’s Office of Emergency Medical Services and are used to offer comfort to patients with spectrum disorders.

“I heard about the kits from the Southeastern Healthcare Coalition,” said Michael Pratt, emergency management department head for the medical center. “Onslow County Emergency Medical Services and Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune’s Fire and Emergency Services Division were receiving the kits. I thought we should get them as well to sustain the continuity, so I requested the kits for the medical center.”

According to the official Carter Kits website, the kits were designed by a police officer and a neuropsychologist who both have children with autism. The kits were developed after the officer identified a need to help special needs children in times of trauma and chaos at emergency scenes.

“Sometimes there are visual and language barriers during emergency situations, and the parents or guardians have other children and can’t ride with us,” said Paige Way, NMCCL Transfer Center division officer. “In those cases, the items in the kits will help with those challenges of the child being upset or confused by redirecting their attention and giving them something to focus on.”

The Carter Kits are a duffel bag filled with several items including a 24-piece sensory toy set, noise-reducing earmuffs, sunglasses, a weighted blanket, and a nonverbal communication tools among other items.

“Usually, parents are really good at letting the paramedics know what is beneficial for the child,” said Way. “We’ve all decided that if a patient is really into a specific item from the kit, then we’ll let them keep it because it might help at the receiving facility. Otherwise, we’ll heavily sanitize them for use with another transfer patient.”

Carter Kits aren’t just for children; autism can impact people of all ages on a spectrum of severity levels, and the kits can be used for any transfer patient.

“We mainly think of children, but there’s other patients these kits can assist too,” said Pratt. “Think about our geriatric community, the elderly community, who are dealing with mental decline. They can benefit from some of the items in these kits as well.”

As a transfer center for nearby level two trauma centers, the nearest of which is 64 miles away, Carter Kits will be an asset in calming and soothing special needs patient transfers.

“We have several patients on base that we have to transfer,” said Way. “Our transport team is made up of critical care paramedics, and they do everything from basic lifesaving care to critical care, all the way to severely critical care and abated patients. We believe these kits will be very helpful in assisting with our transfers.”

In the coming months, Pratt and the Transfer Center will be coordinating inter-facility training for first responders using the Carter Kits.

Source: United States Navy (Medical)

For those still in need of annual influenza vaccination(s), Naval Hospital Bremerton’s Immunization Clinic is currently stocked with both Influenza and Covid vaccines for ages 6 months and older.

No appointment is required with walk-in services provided on a first-come, first-served basis.

The Immunization Clinic is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. With Tuesday mornings reserved for training, the clinic opens at 10 a.m., until 11:45 a.m., and then back again from 1 p.m. until 3:30 p.m.

Due to high demand, it is highly encouraged to call ahead and ask about our current inventory of the Covid vaccine as stock may fluctuate from day to day.

The NHB Immunization Clinic front desk can be reached at 360-475-4142.

There has already been an increase of positive influenza cases of late.

Dr. Dan Frederick, NHB Population Health Officer, emphasizes that immunization remains the primary method of reducing seasonal influenza illness and any potential associated complications. Being vaccinated against the viral threat not only helps protect vaccinated individuals but can assist in protecting family and co-workers by helping reduce the spread of the disease.

“Getting the flu shot helps protect someone once the flu season starts in their community. The vaccination can reduce flu illnesses, doctors’ visits, and missed work and school due to the illness,” Frederick said.

Frederick also emphasizes that just as it is important for military personnel who live and work in close quarters to receive the vaccine, it is also highly recommended for school-aged children.

“Influenza is not the common cold. It can be a life-threatening disease that especially can put specific groups in jeopardy,” explained Frederick. “While certainly people with respiratory conditions, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), are at increased risk, those over 65, young children, and pregnant women would be at the top of my list.”

For those who opt to receive their influenza vaccination elsewhere, there are a number of outlets in the surrounding community that accept TRICARE. NHB requests for those who do get their flu shot out in town – especially active duty, selected reserve, and healthcare workers – to provide documentation of receipt to their medical staff, provider, or directly to NHB Immunizations Clinic to update their medical record.

As a contagious respiratory illness, the flu has varying degrees of symptoms, ranging from no symptoms (asymptomatic) to severe symptoms which can develop from one to four days after infection and include such signs as:

• Fever or feeling feverish/chills.
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fatigue (tiredness)
• Sore throat
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Muscle pain or body aches
• Headache
• Some people may have vomiting and diarrhea, though more common in children.

There are [also] a number of daily measures which anyone can implement to help protect themselves during cold and flu season.

According to the CDC, along with getting vaccinated, there are a few healthy habits to protect against flu,” said Lt. Anurag Sharma, NHB Preventive Medicine department head and environmental health officer. “Personal hygiene by routinely washing hands thoroughly and appropriately. Avoid close contact. Stay home when sick. Cover your mouth and nose if ill and when coughing or sneezing and avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.”