Military services have difficulty recruiting and retaining medical providers. Military medical services also have difficulty communicating patient information across multiple platforms (enterprise-level electronic health records, etc.). We have operated as a “purple force” for quite some time.
Proposal: Consolidate the military medical health care system under the US Department of Health and Human Services, Commissioned Corps (US Public Health Service). A USPHS service member can work in all military treatment facilities, then transition to other federal facilities such as the Indian Health Service to prevent “burnout”. Staff VA facilities with USPHS officers. Change the laws regarding recruitment/retention/retirement to allow long-term service for medical personnel. I am retired from the military, but I want to return to a uniformed service as a medical provider without jeopardizing my military retirement. Provide many incentives for recruitment and retention in the USPHS. Standardize the electronic health care records throughout the military services to include the US Department of Veterans Affairs. Expand the programs allowing medical personnel to work in civilian medical facilities. Expand these programs to reach the unhoused citizens in the US. Maximize the use of the “United States Public Health Service”.