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81st MDG receives 'excellent' rating on care

  • Published
  • By Steve Pivnick
  • 81st Medical Group Public Affairs
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. --  The 81st Medical Group provides "Excellent" patient care. That was the overall rating the group received from the Air Force Inspection Agency Health Service Inspection that concluded Oct. 25.

Team Chief Col. John Sell, AFIA director of medical operations, told an audience of "Dragon Medics" packing the hospital's Don Wylie Auditorium Oct. 26, "Your medical group is the best I've seen. As General Cornum (Brig. Gen. (Dr.) Kory Cornum, 81st Medical Group commander) told me at the outset, it's all about the patients and that's how you operate the medical group. Your attitude is infectious - you are a true team! I would be glad to get care here or for my family to do so. You have done your commander and the Air Force Medical Service proud!"

After Sell made his remarks, he and senior enlisted inspection team member Chief Master Sgt. Dawn Fruits departed. At that point, Cornum commenced a quick rundown of the inspection results, culminating with the announcement of the "Excellent" rating.

"I'm really proud of what you folks do," he said. "I'm proud of the patient care you provide and your hard work."

The 10-person team arrived over two days, five got here Oct. 21 and the rest the following day. The earlier arrivals began scrutinizing the medical group Oct. 22, a day ahead of the anticipated start. During their assessment the team from Kirtland AFB, N.M., conducted interviews and did walk-around inspections of the hospital's work centers. In addition, they reviewed 184 binders of information compiled by the group staff.

Among the areas they examined were public health, patient safety, nursing services and operations, referral management, infection control, dental services, mental health, bioenvironmental engineering, readiness and the medical group's business plan.

The team cited five group members for special recognition for their work readying the unit for the inspection: 81st MDG HSI team chief Lt. Col. Paul Langevin; and outstanding performers Senior Airman Candace Caudill, 81st Aerospace Medicine Squadron; Staff Sgt. Tammi Fish, 81st Medical Support Squadron; Master Sgt. David Boydston, 81st Medical Operations Squadron; and Betty Schoen, 81st MDSS.

Later, Sell explained, "We conduct approximately 25 active-duty HSIs a year and inspect every Air Force medical group both in the United States and around the world. This is a compliance-based inspection during which a team of medical functional experts looks at more than 750 criteria." He noted, "General Cornum and his team should be very proud of an extremely successful inspection."

Cornum also recognized three group personnel for their efforts preparing the organization for the HSI. They were: Master Sgt. Mary Jamison and Senior Master Sgt. Scott Strickland, 81st MDOS; and Maj. Ronald Eller, 81st MDSS.

With the HSI over, the "Dragon Medics" completed preparations for this week's Air Education and Training Command Consolidated Unit Inspection. In addition, the medical group is vulnerable for The Joint Commission survey anytime between today and March 31, 2013. TJC can arrive with a week's prior notice. The organization accredits and certifies more than 19,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States.