354th Medical Group named top-performing facility

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  • 354th Medical Group
EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska --  The 354th Medical Group was recognized as the top performing military treatment facility in the medium-sized clinic category at the annual Military Health System Conference in Washington, D.C. last month.

The award was presented by Maj. Gen. Bruce Green, Deputy Surgeon General of the Air Force, on the last day of the conference.

"This award is testament to the teamwork that we have here at Eielson Air Force Base," said Col. Tom Hayes, 354th MDG commander. "PHA, PIMR and post-deployment rates are a measure of how well the base is doing to ensure the good health of our military members."

Unit health monitors worked closely with clinic personnel to improve not only PHA and PIMR rates, but also customer service initiatives, said the commander.

"Although the medical group was recognized for this award, it wouldn't have been possible without the hard work of the entire Eielson Team," he said. "We want to thank all the members of Eielson for contributing to our success."

The award is based on data compiled at the Air Staff level, such as preventive health assessments and Individual Medical Readiness (PIMR) rates, post-deployment evaluations, business plan execution and population health indicators. The category in which the 354th MDG competed consisted of 25 Air Force clinics located throughout the continental United States, Alaska, and Hawaii.

Medical readiness rates for the military population are just a part of the overall clinic performance picture.

The clinic developed innovative programs to improve access to health care for the community. Lt. Col. Eleanor Nazar-Smith, 354th Medical Operations Squadron commander, cited recent efforts with mobile mammography and women's health clinic.

"Breast cancer screening is important to our patients. Since the clinic doesn't have a permanent mammogram capability, our Health and Wellness Center partnered with the Fairbanks Breast Cancer Detection Center to offer mobile mammography in conjunction with clinical exams. In this way, we were able to focus on high-risk patients," Colonel Nazar-Smith said.

The clinic has also joined with the 3rd MDG at Elmendorf to extend services to the base that would not have otherwise been available in the Fairbanks area.

During the past year, the hospital at Elmendorf has sent both a podiatrist and a urologist to Eielson for two days each month to see our patients. These specialists have been available for all of our health care beneficiaries, Colonel Hayes said.

Initiatives such as this resulted in the selection of the 3rd MDG as the Air Force's top-performing hospital at the same conference.

"In the end, our greatest concern is for the health of our patients," said Colonel Hayes. "Maintaining a patient-centered focus keeps every medic in tune with our vision of providing high quality health care. We are proud to be members of the Icemen Team and we will work hard to earn our mantra of 'Best Medics, Best Care, Anytime, Anywhere'."