U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Ronald Place, director of the Defense Health Agency (DHA), visited Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Cherry Point, North Carolina, as a part of a tour around multiple military installations to help Military Health System (MHS) leaders communicate with their personnel and create local communication products about the transition of military medical treatment facilities from military departments to the DHA. The intent of MHS transformation initiatives is to create a more integrated, efficient and effective system of readiness and health. Their goal with these efforts is to improve the readiness of all operational and medical forces to meet mission around the world, while continuing to provide the best quality care possible to beneficiaries everywhere.
Place held a brief at Miller’s Landing on Aug. 11, 2020, explaining to Sailors and their civilian counterparts the intent of this transition and other reform efforts being implemented to strengthen the operational readiness of our forces, strengthen the readiness of our medical forces, and ensure quality care for beneficiaries. The next day, Place and Command Sgt. Maj. Michael Gragg, senior enlisted advisor of the DHA, toured Naval Health Clinic Cherry Point (NHCCP) with Capt. Doug Stephens, NHCCP commanding officer, Capt. Patrick Fitzpatrick, NHCCP executive officer, and Master Chief Petty Officer Jason Juarez, Command Master Chief of NHCCP, to meet various department heads and discuss daily operations and what variety of services they provide in each respective department. Place then met with Maj. Gen. Michael Cederholm, commanding general of the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, before eventually departing MCAS Cherry Point on Aug. 12, 2020.
Deputy Secretary of Defense David Norquist has recently approved a 90-day pause in activities to transition military hospitals and clinics to the DHA because of the Department’s focus on Coronavirus (COVID-19) response efforts. Although the transition is on pause and the DHA continues to play a critical role in the Department's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, they are still setting conditions for the restart of the transition of hospitals and clinics from the medical departments to DHA. The pause remains in effect until further notice and leaders will resume transition activities when conditions are right to do so.
More information on MTF transition can be found at the following links:
https://www.milsuite.mil/…/groups/reform-of-the-mhs-ndaa2017
https://health.mil/Military-Health-Topics/MHS-Transformation
https://info.health.mil/Pages/MHSTransformation.aspx
https://www.milsuite.mil/…/changes-to-strengthen-the-milita