Academy hospital tops in class

  • Published
  • By Butch Wehry
  • U.S. Air Force Academy Public Affairs
U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. (AFNEWS) --  The Defense Department's award for top mid-sized military treatment facility went to the U.S. Air Force Academy during ceremonies Feb. 6 in Washington, D.C., as part of the annual Tricare conference.

Col. Alan Berg, commander of the 10th Medical Group, was there to accept the Military Treatment Facility Patient Satisfaction Award for Oct. 1, 2005, to Sept. 30, 2006.

"Military medicine has a proud history of advancing battlefield medicine and this award proves that we also excel in taking care of our military family at home," said Colonel Berg. "Our goal is to provide world-class, on-target medical care and to exceed out patients' expectations for caring and compassionate medical treatments."

This award was based on many recent and significant accomplishments by the men and women of the 10th Medical Group, the colonel said. This included leading the Air Force in measures of prevention, keeping beneficiaries healthy, serving as a teleradiology hub for 14 DOD facilities and earning recognition as the second in the nation and first in DOD's "Most Wired" hospital.

The hospital received full accreditation from the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations and an "excellent" rating from the Health Services Inspection, making it the Air Force's best CONUS-bedded facility for 2006.

"This award was earned and is shared by the 800-plus military, civilians and contract personnel who make up the 10th Medical Group and who worked together with a single goal of serving our military family, past, present and future," Colonel Berg said.

The award is significant to the staff of the 10th Medical Group who exceeded both inpatient and outpatient business goals for Fiscal 2006 despite deployments and manning shortages, the colonel said.

"We take pride in meeting the needs and exceeding the expectations of our patients, and this award highlights and recognizes the excellence and dedication of our personnel," he said. "For our patients, this assures them that they are receiving the best care possible within the military healthcare system."

Nestled in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains' Rampart Range, the hospital cares for 31,000 beneficiaries and 4,000 cadets. Medical operations are 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

"Not only do we face a rapidly changing security environment that demands excellence in developing and deploying innovative products and service to prepare and care for our war-fighters, but we must also meet the challenges of treating military and civilian patients," said Colonel Berg. "We serve our patients for life, which makes military medicine unique. Through integration, interoperability and technology, the hospital can track and treat beneficiaries for long term care anywhere and anytime."

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