DHA Medical Logistics ensures right materials are available for the right care Published April 12, 2016 By Military Health System Communications Office Defense Health Agency FALLS CHURCH, Va. -- An explosion rips through a convoy, severely injuring a soldier. As he lies writhing in pain, a field medic pulls lifesaving equipment from his pack, saving the young troop’s life. Soon after, a medical evacuation helicopter is airlifting him to a hospital in the rear. While this scenario has played out many times over the last 15 years of combat operations, the Military Health System (MHS) has seen an unprecedented number of lives saved on the battlefield. Long before that patient ever made it to the hospital, long before the medic put together his pack, and even long before that soldier mounted up for his patrol, all the pieces to address such a situation were ordered and delivered through the Defense Health Agency’s (DHA) medical logistics system. “If we take care of patients’ needs, then everything else falls into place,” said Army Col. Thomas Slade, chief of the Medical Logistics Division at DHA, while adding they are also trying to make sure tax dollars are spent wisely. “It’s a clinically driven process. I don’t tell a physician what he can and can’t have. While there are many ways to drive down costs, we look at what gives us the best value in terms of the best clinical outcomes.” Cheryl Bither, the contract project manager for standardization for DHA Medical Logistics, said the whole procurement process, rolled out over the last few years, looks to save money, but not at the cost of patient care. She explained they’re making sure when bandages and bed sheets are ordered, DHA can leverage large purchase volume but still keep individual service needs in mind. “We’re clinically validating product selections, then requesting discount pricing. We’re getting quality products at discount prices; saving tax dollars but not compromising on care,” said Bither. That attention to patient needs pleases Army Lt. Col. Scott Kuhens, the senior clinician on the medical logistics team. He said they use designated clinicians and alternates in each of the areas served by DHA to help evaluate needs and what products best meet those needs. “It’s spread out over the entire enterprise, and we receive input from all of the services,” said Kuhens. “That way, we have ’buy-in’ and can say, ‘This product is the most clinically vetted product that we have.’” It wasn’t always the case for medical logistics in the MHS. Kuhens said, for example, individual hospitals and clinics would order their own preferences on gauze and might not consider what other hospitals or even other departments in their own hospitals might be using. This led to multiple items being ordered for the same need, producing numerous small procurements without any bulk discounts. The new system of procuring items helps ensure that a common product is found and bought when possible. That way, the MHS can order it in larger numbers to get the discount those volume purchases bring. Air Force Maj. Brandee Haynes, the program manager, said the process is making everyone look at things from a joint service perspective, a perspective that might not have been as widely embraced in the past. “Actually, we’re doing pretty well,” said Haynes. “Our compliance rate for standardization across the MHS exceeds our goal of 80 percent, which translated into cost-savings benefits for the whole enterprise to the tune of $17 million in 2015.” As the DHA works to standardize medical, dental and lab equipment, they’re keeping the same ideas they had about materials and large purchase discounts. “It’s just not logistics in a silo,” said Air Force Lt. Col. Mary Ann Garbowski, the medical supply management section chief for DHA Medical Logistics. “We push collaboration. Clinicians have a say about the product.” In addition, with medical equipment and materials standardized across the services, those who treat the patients in an operating room or emergency department will know what an individual facility will have on hand. It also allows the MHS to standardize training across the services, making the process more efficient. Overall, patients are seeing better care, while taxpayers are seeing a better bottom line for the MHS. “It comes down to providing the best care possible,” said Slade. “We need to provide the right supplies at the right time to make sure we achieve high patient satisfaction, no matter where you go in the MHS.” Clinicians and logisticians looking to get feedback into the process and suggest new items can visit the DHA Medical Logistics website.