The Objective Medical Group Next Gen: Outdated or an Overhaul

Abstract

This paper presents a call to change to reduce unnecessary leadership overhead in small Air Force Medical Service (AFMS) Medical Treatment Facilities (MTFs). AFMS MTFs can be more efficient and effective especially by reducing overhead. This is not a call to change based on a crisis, ground breaking game changing innovation, or zero day type vulnerability in medicine. This is a call to modernize the Objective Medical Group (OMG) structure. Organizational inefficiency with our current MTF leadership structure must be modernized and streamlined. An extensive review of the OMG history and leadership structures in the VA, Army, Navy, and large civilian healthcare networks was conducted to evaluate peer and best-in-industry practices. Similar to the AF, the Army, Navy, and VA has experienced little change at the organizational structure level. This paper also evaluates whether the limited changed is for sound leadership and management reasons or is simply from lack of organizational effort. While there were a few new trends noted from the review, the current AFMS MDG dual-professional leadership structure with group commanders, functional leaders, and squadron commanders remains relevant and optimized through the ages and ready for the future. There is no model in the civilian sector currently that would warrant significant changes to the current AFMS structure. Under the proposed OMG Next Gen construct, this paper proposes downsizing 5 MDGs below 150 total manpower authorizations to O-6-commanded medical squadrons as pilot units for one year. If successful, the remaining 9 MDGs below 200 authorizations plus the initial 5 MDGs should be programmed in the POM at the next available POM onramp. From the expansive review, a few more proposals to streamline MDGs at the leadership level are suggested including a recommendation to create a Patient Experience Officer Education with Industry slot for the next year. An overhaul is not warranted nor indicated.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Feb 22, 2018
Accession Number
AD1096617

Entities

People

  • Wade B. Adair

Organizations

  • Air War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Business Administration
  • Delivery Of Health Care
  • Department Of Defense
  • Employment
  • Health Services
  • Information Systems
  • Medical Personnel
  • Military Hospitals
  • Military Medicine
  • Military Organizations
  • Organizational Structure
  • Patient Care
  • Personnel Management
  • Students
  • War Colleges

Readers

  • Joint Military Operations and Doctrine.
  • Medical or Health Care Field.
  • Military Leadership and Professional Education.