MHS Leadership Message - Transparency Published Jan. 9, 2015 WASHINGTON -- Military Health System colleagues, With a new year upon us, we have an important set of initiatives that will ensure the Military Health System (MHS) serves as a high reliability organization - deepening our culture that is focused on sustaining a high quality, safe health environment. In the coming weeks, a new MHS strategic plan will be introduced that outlines our direction for the next several years. As part of this plan, we will be issuing a number of joint messages that reinforce our shared commitment to major themes of our strategic plan. This message represents the first in that series. The work performed by leaders throughout the MHS in support of the recent "MHS Review" directed by the Secretary of Defense clearly established that we are a national leader in health care transparency. The MHS Action Plan, signed out by the Secretary of Defense October 1, reiterated our commitment to ensuring that our performance information is both available and useful to our beneficiaries.. We approved a three-phase action plan and have now completed phase one of this plan. Phase One. The MHS has always had a significant amount of performance data on its website (www.health.mil ) and other information has been publicly available from our partner organization websites. For example, The Joint Commission has a substantial amount of data in the public domain, to include information on the accreditation status of all of our medical facilities that participate with TJC, as well as TJC ORYX data. Although the information on our website has long been in the public domain, it was hard to find, and often difficult to understand. As a result, we have co-located all publicly available data in one location at www.health.mil/QualityMeasures. Content also has been added to explain the measures and how beneficiaries can use the information. This effort addressed one of the Secretary's specific objectives, which was "to provide all currently available aggregate statistical access, quality and safety information for all MTFs and, to the extent possible, all purchased care providers publically available on www.health.mil." While none of this information is new, and even more was information that was made available in the MHS Review, we want to ensure MTF commanders and staff are aware of this public site and familiar with the content that is displayed, to include how individual MTF data are presented. Although this information is publicly available, at this time we are not conducting a broad communications campaign with our beneficiaries on this revamped website, but rather are focused on internal awareness. Information currently available includes: * The Joint Commission (TJC) Accreditation - by MTF * TJC/ORYX (Inpatient Quality) Information * National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) HEDIS measures * National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) PCMH Accreditation * Hospital Compare (purchased care only) * Beneficiary Survey/Satisfaction Data Phase One began October 1, 2014, with the release of the Secretary's Action Plan and was completed on December 31, 2014 at which time health information was consolidated on the web. Phase Two. Over the next several months, we will be meeting with beneficiary organizations and establishing focus groups. As we conduct these sessions, we welcome your input on how best to present and display these data. The website includes an icon to submit comments and we invite MTF staff to use that feature for suggestions. Phase Two will entail leadership consideration of additional measures for public reporting, finalizing recommendations, and redesigning our website in consultation with user experience experts. Phase Two runs January 1, 2015 through April 30, 2015 following completion of the focus group interaction and website redesign. Phase Three. When Phase Two is complete, a "hard launch" of the new website will be accompanied by a public outreach and communication campaign to beneficiaries, internal leaders, Capitol Hill and medical organizations. By giving patients access to accurate, timely information, we are empowering them to make informed decisions about their healthcare. In turn, greater patient engagement is a force multiplier for process and quality improvement. This phase will commence on May 1, 2014 and the initial outreach campaign will continue through August 31, 2015. We have much to be proud of in how we deliver, monitor and report health care delivered in our military medical facilities and in our purchased care network. As a public organization, our obligations to both our own beneficiaries and the American public are appropriately higher. Transparency is a key characteristic of high reliability organizations and our efforts to engage our patients in discussions about access, safety and quality will serve us well in the years ahead. Sincerely, Jonathan Woodson, M.D. Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health Affairs) Patricia Horoho, Lieutenant General Surgeon General, US Army Matthew Nathan, Vice Admiral Surgeon General, US Navy Thomas Travis, Lieutenant General Surgeon General, US Air Force Douglas Robb, Lieutenant General Director, Defense Health Agency