Leaders to discuss Defense Health Agency in AMSUS panel session this week Published Nov. 30, 2017 Military Health System Communications Office NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. -- Federal and military health care professionals are gathering this week for AMSUS’s 126th Annual Continuing Education Meeting. The conference runs Monday, Nov. 27 through Friday, Dec. 1 at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in Oxon Hill, Maryland. Leaders from the Defense Health Agency will join Veterans Health Administration and the United States Public Health Service to discuss health readiness. Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, Mr. Thomas McCaffery, and DHA Director, Navy Vice Adm. Raquel Bono, will join a plenary session later this week with the Armed Service surgeons general and other senior military leaders. “We are pleased to have Vice Admiral Bono and Mr. McCaffery speak at this year’s AMSUS Annual Meeting,” said AMSUS executive director Michael Cowan, MD, Vice Adm. USN (Ret). “Their views on today’s issues will offer a unique opportunity for everyone to hear about the current state and future plans for the Defense Health Agency.” This year, the conference theme emphasizes force health protection from the battlefield to home, with 15 countries represented by international delegates and military medical officers. DHA leaders are expected to discuss the ongoing Military Health System (MHS) transformation. Various sessions will feature DHA experts, with topics ranging from global health engagement strategies to the new electronic health record, MHS GENESIS,. Dr. Terry Rauch, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Readiness Policy and Oversight, and Mr. Mark Swayne, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Stability and Humanitarian Affairs, will present “Strategic Perspectives from the DoD Global Health Engagement Council” with Joint Staff Surgeon, Navy Rear Adm. Colin Chinn. Dr. Paul Cordts, Office of the Functional Champion, will be speaking in two sessions. During “Technology is the Easy Part,” Dr. Cordts will lead a discussion on aligning MHS GENESIS capabilities with the MHS missions of maintaining a ready medical force, maintaining a medically ready force and delivering health care. Joining a panel with Air Force Maj. Gen. Roosevelt Allen, Army Brig. Gen. Ronald Stephens, and Dr. Michael Malanoski, Dr. Cordts will talk about the decision-making process for changes or updates to MHS GENESIS in a session called, “Red Light, Green Light: Decision-Making for a Large-Scale EHR.” Speakers will discuss improvements to both patient and provider experience, how MHS GENESIS has increased efficiency and improved the quality and safety of care, and opportunities and challenges as MHS GENESIS expands to more sites. Military and civilian medical professionals will examine the many aspects of readiness through the week. Sessions will cover the range of medical response at the point of injury all the way through transport, treatment, and rehabilitation. Speakers will also share knowledge of the latest advances in military and federal health care, including innovative medical advances and patient care practices. The spectrum of joint medical care and healing will dive into ‘battlefront’ care topics of combat support, humanitarian missions, disaster response, global health operations, and patient movement. ‘Homefront’ care topics will include definitive treatment, rehabilitation, recovery, and return to a new normal for both patient and family members. Also as part of the battlefield to home focus, sessions will touch on traumatic injuries, psychological health, traumatic brain injuries, disease and population health, preparedness and operational issues. Interested parties can follow along with the conference coverage on social media using the hashtag #AMSUS17.