May 1, 2014 Military Health System (MHS) Leadership Message - A Culture of Safety and Quality As a system of health, and as individuals in that system, we rightfully take great pride in our combat medicine performance over the last twelve years of war.There are a number of characteristics evident in that performance that are hallmarks of a learning system focused on continuous improvement: a
April 21, 2014 AF names physician assistant training program candidates Nearly three dozen Airmen have been selected for the Tri-Service Physician Assistant Training at Fort Sam Houston beginning in August, Air Force Personnel Center officials announced today.Originally open only to enlisted members, the 29-month program is open to enlisted, officers and Academy and
April 21, 2014 Chief nurse statements of intent due April 25 Statements of intent for Nurse Corps officers interested in chief nurse positions are due by April 25, Air Force Personnel Center officials said today. The nurse corps development team will convene May 5-9 to select candidates for projected calendar year 2015 openings."There are 86 chief nurses -
April 21, 2014 Clean Out Your Medicine Cabinet: April 26 is National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day TRICARE beneficiaries have a safe and easy way to dispose of expired prescription drugs.The Drug Enforcement Agency's (DEA's) National Prescription Drug Take-back Day is April 26. Sites will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for people to bring excess prescription drugs that otherwise could be abused
April 16, 2014 AF Surgeon General aims to help cyber Airmen Lt. Gen. (Dr.) Thomas Travis, Surgeon General of the Air Force, visited 24th Air Force April 10 in an effort to learn about ways that the medical community can support cyber operators. "AF Medicine is here to support operations," said Travis. "We need to provide the right support for Airmen and
April 11, 2014 Surgeon general testifies before Senate on budget request The medical capabilities honed from 13 years of war must continue to expand for future needs, the three military surgeon generals' told Senate Appropriations Committee's subcommittee on defense April 9.Lt. Gen. (Dr.) Thomas Travis, the Air Force surgeon general, testified with Lt. Gen. Patricia
April 8, 2014 Service members required to get Hep B immunization The Department of Defense recently updated its immunization guidelines, requiring all service members to receive the hepatitis B virus immunizations. Hepatitis B is a potentially fatal liver disease spread by contaminated blood or body fluids.Since 2002, the Air Force has administered the
April 6, 2014 376th Expeditionary Medical Group in Kyrgyzstan inactivates The 376th Expeditionary Medical Group here inactivated during a ceremony April 5, 2014, ending another era of providing world-class care to troops transitioning through Kyrgyzstan."You were the panacea that kept our Airmen in the fight, enabling combat airpower in Afghanistan," said Col. John C.
March 27, 2014 Military Health System (MHS) leadership message - Tobacco Use – Our People, Our Policies, Our Personal Responsibilities There is no debate on the hazards of smoking and tobacco use.From a scientific perspective, the debate ended conclusively over 50 years ago when the U.S. Surgeon General issued the landmark report that changed how the country faced this growing public health threat.Smoking kills.And 50 years later,
March 27, 2014 Former Air Force Surgeon General, Lt. Gen. Chesney, passes away The Air Force Medical Service remembers retired Lt. Gen. (Dr.) Murphy A. Chesney, former Air Force Surgeon General, who passed away of natural causes on March 22, 2014, in San Antonio, Texas.Chesney was the 12th surgeon general and sworn in on Aug. 1, 1985. He officially retired on Aug. 1,
March 20, 2014 USAFE-AFAFRICA, NATO host 29th Aerospace Medicine Summit Medical professionals from 16 nations attended the Ramstein Aerospace Medicine Summit and NATO Science and Technology Organization Technical Course here March 10 - 14.Lt. Gen. Tom Jones, U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa vice commander, welcomed the 170 plus attendees who filled the
March 19, 2014 "Fight the Enemy" tobacco-free video competition winners announced March 19 is nationally recognized as Kick Butts Day, a time to empower young people to speak out against tobacco use. A recent survey revealed that almost half of service members use tobacco products with higher use among junior enlisted service members ages 18-25. Department of Defense officials
March 19, 2014 Air Force welcomes four-legged lieutenant Gen. Mark A. Welsh III, Air Force Chief of Staff , visited Walter Reed Bethesda to commission a four-legged second lieutenant into the Air Force dog therapy program on March 12. Gen. Welsh, the highest ranking Air Force officer, commissioned Goldie, a Golden Retriever, into the therapy dog program
March 17, 2014 Physician Assistant at Misawa receives national recognition It was her first year working as a physician assistant, and a patient had just left her exam room when she heard a burst of gunshots in the distance. Within seconds, screams filled the hospital as people scrambled for cover. In the midst of the chaos, a piercing silence fell over the clinic and her
March 6, 2014 AMA honors former Air Force Surgeon General with top government service award The American Medical Association (AMA) today presented retired Lt. Gen. Paul K. Carlton, Jr., M.D., former Surgeon General of the United State Air Force, the Dr. Nathan Davis Award for Outstanding Government Service. Dr. Carlton was selected for the AMA's top government service award for his
Feb. 19, 2014 Military Health System (MHS) leadership message - MTF continuous improvement After more than a decade of war and in a period of national evolution in concepts of health care, the Military Health System (MHS) must reengineer processes by which we bring health to the 9.6 million beneficiaries we serve. We have embarked on a shared strategy to prepare the MHS to successfully
Feb. 18, 2014 DoD Anti-Tobacco Video Contest Now Open For Public Voting The Air Force community is encouraged to kick off 2014 by voting for the best anti-tobacco video in the Department of Defense-sponsored Fight the Enemy contest which begins now until March 14, 2014 through online voting.Five finalists have been selected for public voting, including two Air Force
Feb. 18, 2014 U.S. Air Force and Israeli Defense Force Surgeons General sign agreement The surgeon general of the U.S. Air Force and his counterpart in the Israeli Defense Force signed an agreement Feb. 5 in Israel to reaffirm their mutual commitment to collaboration between the Air Force Medical Service and the IDF Medical Corps.Lt. Gen. (Dr.) Thomas Travis and Brig. Gen. (Dr.)
Feb. 13, 2014 Electronic cigarette use increasing among Airmen Electronic cigarette use is becoming a popular alternative to traditional cigarettes, but the upward trend is becoming a concern for health care providers. The battery-operated products, known as e-cigarettes, are designed to deliver nicotine, flavor, and other chemicals as a vapor that is inhaled