In Search of Military Medical Strategy.
Abstract
The armed services medical departments are under severe, open criticism from both the Department of Defense and the private sector. Substantive action is required to correct glaring deficiencies in two major areas--medical force readiness and quality health care. There is, however, no fully articulated strategy for developing and executing corrective actions. Furthermore, a polarity between quality health care and force readiness professionals of the medical departments has resulted in severe competition for scarce resources. As a result, it is likely that without a strategy, medical programs will be piecemeal and counterproductive unless the framework of a master strategy is formulated and applied by all concerned. History reveals that the purpose of military medicine is to conserve the human ingredient of combat power. It is, in modern terms, a combat multiplier. The strategy for supporting that purpose should emphasize the importance of medical forces; quality, versatile professionals; flexible medical forces; prevention of disease and injury; and health care operations that complement military operations and objectives. Such strategy will serve to perpetuate a long tradition of military medical excellence, bring competing factions together and result in improved quality health care operations well into the next century.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 15, 1985
- Accession Number
- ADA156866
Entities
People
- H. J. Waters
Organizations
- United States Army War College