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National outreach tour educates top medical civic leaders

  • Published
  • By Linda Frost
  • 59 MDW Public Affairs
LACKLAND AFB, Texas --  Some of the nation's leading health care professionals recently got a close-up look at one of the most vital missions in the Air Force - health care for the wounded.

The tour, sponsored by the Secretary of the Air Force's National Civic Outreach office, brought representatives from national medical organizations in the Chicago area to the Air Force's largest training hospital in the world -- Wilford Hall Medical Center.

"This was an important opportunity to educate high-level medical leaders on the capabilities of the Department of Defense's enroute care system, which is providing historically successful care to those wounded or injured in the current war," said Maj. Gen. Tom Travis, commander, 59th Medical Wing.

"This joint system includes aid at the point of injury, initial surgical resuscitation at forward sites, medevac to the theater hospitals in Iraq and Afghanistan, and air evacuation and critical care air transport to return patients for definitive care in the states," added General Travis.

"Not only does the 59th Medical Wing provide much of the Air Force part of this capability in deployed settings, we proudly provide much of the training for those who will fulfill these missions in the future."

The group, made up of chief executive officers and medical directors of hospitals, rehabilitation centers, medical schools and Veteran's Adminstration hospitals, was led by Brig. Gen. (Dr.) Byron Hepburn, command surgeon, Air Mobility Command.

"We already have a great synergy between our civilian medical counterparts and our military and Veterans Administration medical systems, but we need to continue to strengthen those relationships...not only to care for wounded warriors and their families today, but to conduct the research to enhance the quality of their care in the future," said General Hepburn.

Transitioning into the civilian medical community is the last step for any wounded warrior who is separating from the service -- particularly those requiring long-term care and rehabilitation.

"We need to understand the type of medical care the wounded receive from the military so servicemembers can receive the best possible long-term care once they transition into our civilian medical community," commented Ms.Georgia Casciato, chief marketing officer, Health eTechnologies, LLC.

The one-day event began just before dawn on Jan. 23 when a group of 35 people boarded a C-17 aircraft out of Chicago's O'Hare Airport to witness a simulated real-world aeromedical evacuation process in flight.

An air evacuation crew from the 183rd Aerial Evacuation Squadron in Jackson, Miss., and a Critical Care Air Transport Team from the 81st Medical Group, Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., teamed up to provide in-flight demonstrations.

"Along with learning about the Air Force's air evacuation process and the expedient and effective medical care given to our wounded soldiers, I was immensely impressed with the data collection process that the Air Force has designed so they can make changes in real time," commented Dr. Edward Langston, chairman of the Board of Trustees for the American Medical Association.

Upon arrival at Wilford Hall Medical Center, a variety of topics were briefed to include the transport of wounded patients from the battlefield to advances in trauma care, dental and facial reconstruction procedures, and the continuing care of war-related mental health conditions.

"I actually felt a true commitment from the Air Force to do the best job possible for the wounded warriors," said Mr.William Devoney, vice president for finance, University of Illinois Medical Center.

"I never thought the Air Force abandoned their wounded, but I now sense an even greater commitment to being there for them post military service," said Mr. Devoney.

"Many of my friends from the Vietnam era did not feel that level of commitment was there. It is obvious that there is a new level of commitment to today's warrior," he said.

During lunch, guests were paired up with hospital personnel who had previously deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan.

"Most striking were the high levels of passion, enthusiasm, dedication, compassion, knowledge and ingenuity of the personnel," said Dr. Elliot Roth, senior vice president and chief academic officer for the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago.

The tour concluded with a trip to the Center for the Intrepid, a state-of-the-art rehabilitation center for wounded servicemembers, located at Brooke Army Medical Center, Ft. Sam Houston, Texas.

"It was apparent to me in a conversation with a young officer that the troops truly live the Air Force core values -- integrity, service before self and excellence in all you do," said Ms.Kathleen Yosko, president and CEO of Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital and Medical Group.

"Throughout the day it was also very clear that we have a strong joint and Total Force team spirit," said General Hepburn.

"This outreach opportunity provided our civic leaders insight into our military health care processes and set the stage for future productive collaboration," he said.