Military Medicine for the Twenty-First Century: 'To Shape the Future'
Abstract
Military medicine and the Military Health Services System (MHSS) are in the midst of change and turbulence. Decreasing defense budgets, reductions in the active duty and civilian work force, and escalating costs of medical care make it increasingly difficult For the MHSS to accomplish its patient care and medical readiness missions. Today, the most Frequently prescribed remedy For these problems is to increase the amount of 'Jointness', the amount of centralization and consolidation of military medicine. In fact, military medicine has already become quite centralized within the last Year and is likely to become even more consolidated in the Future. Therefore, it is imperative that as we carry out the process of centralization and consolidation, we do all in our power to preserve the best parts of military medicine. We-must act now to shape the future of military medicine, so that we can maintain the core values and lifeblood programs which have made military medicine so successful thus far. This paper examines the issue of jointness in military medicine. The author- reviews the history of the medical departments, shows how and why the three medical departments evolved differently, and discusses the impacts that those 'service-unique' differences may have on the MHSS, now and in the future. The author then examines the current MHSS, to include the role of the Assistant Secretary of Defense For Health Affairs, the missions and organization of the three medical departments, and the importance of graduate medical education and medical research and development for the future.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 10, 1992
- Accession Number
- ADA249605
Entities
People
- Michael J. Brennan
Organizations
- United States Army War College