April 1, 2009 Wilford Hall opens cancer resource center A cancer resource center, dedicated to patient care and education, is opening March 31 in the basement of Wilford Hall Medical Center. The center, located in Room BL18 near the hospital's emergency department, offers more than 130 pamphlets with information on topics ranging from specific types of
April 1, 2009 AFMS history: Day-to-day care Care of deployed American warriors of all the Services is the most noticeable contribution of the Air Force Medical Service. But the day-to-day work of the AFMS is concentrated in base-level medical facilities, where most of the patients are Air Force family members and retirees. One of the oldest
April 1, 2009 Teamwork: DOD clinicians and logisticians support medical standardization Close teamwork between clinicians and logisticians in the Tri-Service Regional Standardization Program provides the framework for the many successes within the program. This program focuses on standardizing medical and surgical products within a specific geographic DOD region. "Our first priority is
April 1, 2009 10th MDSS donates fuzzy comfort to trauma victims The 10th Medical Support Squadron is aiding crime victims with fuzzy, cute and comforting new friends. During "Operation Bear Hug" the squadron donated 134 teddy bears to the Colorado Springs Police Department during the March 4 commander's call in the 10th Medical Group dining room. The unit also
April 1, 2009 Training gives medics confidence prior to deployments It's utter chaos. A child injured by a roadside bomb is wheeled into surgery. A woman with facial burns is rushed in on a stretcher. A small boy with a severe leg injury hobbles into the room. Who do you treat first? Who can help? What medical supplies are on hand? These are the questions deployed
April 1, 2009 DGMC uses innovative methods to improve patient safety Health care providers at the largest Air Force medical center on the West Coast are using state-of-the-art, interactive human patient simulators as just one of many safety initiatives to improve medical care, the medical center's commander said March 10. The use of human patient simulators is just
March 16, 2009 Former political refugee becomes Air Force doctor The doctor is IN! Senior Airman Mauricio De Castro Pretelt has achieved his long-sought goal of becoming a physician in the U.S., and more specifically, the U.S. Air Force. Currently a laboratory technician with the 81st Diagnostics and Therapeutics Squadron, the native of Colombia and recent U.S.
March 16, 2009 Afghanistan's first mental health clinic for servicemembers opens at Bagram Servicemembers in Afghanistan now have a place to turn to for help with the toughest aspects of their deployment when they need it most. The Bagram Freedom Restoration Center is the first mental health clinic in Afghanistan. The center's main goal is to give servicemembers skills they can use to
March 16, 2009 Wilford Hall doctors perform lifesaving procedure on newborn A medical team at Wilford Hall Medical Center here recently performed a lifesaving procedure on a newborn infant that is unique to Air Force medicine. Alexander Gardner, son of Natascha Gardner and Army Staff Sgt. Christopher Gardner of the 23rd Armored Calvary Regiment at Fort Hood, Texas, was born
March 16, 2009 Nurse plays role in enhancing medical care for Afghan troops Lt. Col. Christine Taylor is proud of the role she played in enhancing the future of health care for Afghanistan's national army, police force and their families. Colonel Taylor, flight commander of the 81st Medical Operations Squadron family health care clinic, recently returned from more than six
March 16, 2009 Thule aids in life-saving ice rescue The remote ice cap in Greenland is a bad place to have a serious accident, especially with a winter storm bearing down, without transportation and almost 250 miles away from accessable land, let alone an emergency room. When a National Science Foundation employee fell off a snow ramp at the
March 16, 2009 A healthy dose of 'flight' medicine You may not know them, in fact, you might not even recognize their faces, but they are an integral part of the 341st Missile Wing's mission and wear a variety of hats to take care of the people who operate, maintain, support and secure the weapon system at Malmstrom. Whether they are jumping out of
March 16, 2009 HAWC oversees centralized PT testing The Pacific Air Forces is taking a new approach to physical training. All PT testing will be centralized through some form as stated in a recent newsletter from Gen. Carrol Chandler, the PACAF commander; Air Component Commander for U.S. Pacific Command; and Executive Director, Pacific Air Combat
March 16, 2009 Keesler surgical residents return to Navy hospital Keesler Medical Center surgical residency program has returned to the arena of joint military service with Navy medicine in Northwest Florida with the first of four six-week rotations completed at Naval Hospital Pensacola, Fla., in February. The return of the surgical residency rotation to the
March 3, 2009 AFMS history: The father of the Air Force Medical Service In June 1949 the first staff elements of a new Air Force Medical Service began to assemble in northwest Washington, D.C., at an office complex known as McLean Gardens near Rock Creek Park. On July, 1 of that year Maj. Gen. (Dr.) Malcolm C. Grow assumed duties as the first Air Force Surgeon General.
March 2, 2009 Wilford Hall team transports critically ill infant A team from Wilford Hall Medical Center rushed to Temple, Texas, Feb. 9 to save the life of a critically ill baby. An 8-month-old little girl was suffering from respiratory failure at Scott and White Hospital in Temple. Despite the efforts of the medical team there, she was near death and her
March 2, 2009 Team Travis celebrates six new citizens Five Air Force members and an Air Force spouse, stationed at Travis, recited the Oath of Allegiance and became U.S. citizens during a naturalization ceremony at the Travis Air Museum Feb. 6. The ceremony was unique for Travis, as it was the first-ever naturalization ceremony to take place on base.
March 2, 2009 Botox treatment provides relief for bladder problems If your lifestyle is hampered too often by embarrassing moments when nature calls, the Wilford Hall Medical Center's Incontinence Clinic offers hope. Urinary incontinence is a common problem for many; but, for some people, it can disrupt their lives. Medical reports indicate those who suffer from
March 2, 2009 Deploying physicians to use acupuncture At the acupuncture clinic here, Col. (Dr.) Richard Niemtzow and Col. (Dr.) Stephen Burns run the service's first full time acupuncture clinic. For them, acupuncture treatments are a full-time job. The Air Force surgeon general announced recently that a pilot program to train a cadre of active duty
March 2, 2009 Officials announce field-grade medical officer promotions Air Force officials here have selected 84 lieutenant colonels, 164 majors, and 326 captains in the medical and dental corps for promotion. The boards considered 531 lieutenant colonels, 568 majors and 335 captains for promotion. The results of the boards were announced Feb. 19. Selection statistics