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Woodson leaves legacy of a modernized military medical system ready for the future

  • Published
  • By health.mil
  • Military Health System Communication Office
FALLS CHURCH, VA --  For the past five and a half years, Dr. Jonathan Woodson has led the Military Health System (MHS) through monumental changes. But at the end of April, Woodson, the assistant secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, is stepping down as the leader and senior medical official of the $50 billion per year enterprise that includes nearly 150,000 uniformed and civilian personnel, and almost a thousand medical and dental facilities serving 9.4 million beneficiaries worldwide.

Woodson is returning to Boston University School of Medicine, where he will help establish a health systems innovation and policy institute. The institute will focus on leader development, biotechnology and system design.

Dr. Jonathan Woodson, right, assistant secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, shows journalist Bob Woodruff several mementos collected during a lifetime of service as a doctor, a soldier and as the senior medical leader of the Military Health System. During more than half a decade at the Health Affairs helm, Woodson has guided the Military Health System through two wars and seismic changes in how health care is delivered throughout the military.
Dr. Jonathan Woodson, right, assistant secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, shows journalist Bob Woodruff several mementos collected during a lifetime of service as a doctor, a soldier and as the senior medical leader of the Military Health System. During more than half a decade at the Health Affairs helm, Woodson has guided the Military Health System through two wars and seismic changes in how health care is delivered throughout the military.


As he prepares to depart, Woodson reflected on one of the longest tenures in his position’s history. As he has throughout his time leading the MHS, Woodson focused on six lines of effort: Modernize the MHS; Define and deliver the medical capabilities and manpower needed in the 21st century; Balance the force structure; Invest in and expand strategic partnerships; Transform TRICARE; and expand the global health engagement strategy.

“One of the first priorities for all of us has been to modernize how we manage the MHS,” said Woodson. “Just more than two and a half years ago, we stood up the Defense Health Agency, a joint, integrated combat support agency enabling the Army, Navy and Air Force medical services to provide a medically ready force and ready medical force in both peacetime and wartime.”

Woodson said nearly 85 percent of medicine is the same no matter what uniform the provider wears. The Defense Health Agency, he said, found ways to standardize some areas while recognizing there are still unique needs for each service. The bottom line is taking care of the patients. “We established strategic objectives to meet patient access, quality, safety, satisfaction and cost requirements, bringing a better health system for our warfighters, retirees and their families. It’s what we owe all of our beneficiaries.”

Woodson also made sure to bring 21st century capabilities to the MHS. He pointed to MHS GENESIS, the new electronic health record system, being rolled out enterprise-wide starting in the Pacific Northwest at the end of 2016. The new system promises to keep pace with medical advances and innovations in technology, while helping the MHS continue to provide high-quality health care to patients, as well as an agile, responsive system for health care professionals. All this comes with a projected savings to taxpayers of more than $5 billion.

Another key area – and one Woodson feels needs more work – is balancing the skills and capabilities between the active duty and reserve components in the military. Woodson is also a brigadier general who serves as a surgeon in the U.S. Army Reserves. “I might be leaving this office, but I will continue to be connected to the MHS … just not advising the Secretary of Defense,” he said with a smile.

Woodson also pointed to the successful strategic partnerships the MHS has built during his tenure. During the past two years, Woodson said the MHS strengthened its partnerships with civilian peers, including the American College of Surgeons, the Institute of Medicine and the Institute for Health Improvement. These partnerships not only enhance trauma training and best practice sharing, but when combined with the lessons learned about battlefield trauma they’ve helped military medicine produce the lowest fatality rate for U.S. troops in the history of warfare.

“We have more of our warfighters being able to go home to their families, despite the fact the injuries have been of an unprecedented nature,” said Woodson.

Another key issue during Woodson’s time has been the modernization of TRICARE. He sees the efforts of MHS to solve access issues through programs such as secure messaging, telemedicine and greater availability of care on evenings and weekends as key to ensuring the long-term stability of the program. In addition, these efforts will help keep TRICARE solvent for the future of all beneficiaries.

MHS’s role in global health engagement, Woodson said, is an instrument of national security. It is, he said, the ability to show people around the world how America uses the knowledge and skills of its people to assist those in need.

“If you look at our past response to the Ebola crisis in Africa, where we put boots on the ground and made a real difference in the multi-national effort to stop this terrible, deadly disease. It’s emblematic of the unique knowledge, skills and assets our doctors, nurses, medics and providers are able to bring to the fight,” Woodson said. “And we look to the next challenges, such as the Zika virus, to make sure not only are we keeping our warfighters and their families safe, but the global family in a larger sense. Only our Military Health System, working as a joint, cohesive force, could bring what we do to global health engagement.”

As he moves on from his position, Woodson reiterated it was a team effort that helped him succeed, and in turn, ensured the success of the MHS. He feels he’s leaving the organization better than he found it, and his successors will continue in that vein.

“The U.S. military has a long tradition of leading the way in medicine for our troops and the world at large,” said Woodson. “I’m just proud to have spent the last five and a half years doing what I could to help make the Military Health System better, stronger and more relevant.”