Strategic planning for military occupational health care

Abstract

Objective: This article describes a framework and system for planning appropriate occupational health contributions to military manpower availability and operational capability, and auditing the complete and effectiveness of implementation. Methods: Prepared through author-led consensus-seeking serial deliberations with occupational health experts over initial and consequential drafts of, latterly, a populated strategic planning framework based on key stages in a military career. Illustrative examples are provided from the author's experience and, along with referenced sources of further information, the scientific literature. Results: The resulting framework facilitates timely management of occupational health risks to recruiting, retention, operational availability and capability, and the general well-being of military personnel. Monitoring and audit are integral to the activity to provide an evidence-based spiral of refinement of the plan and improvement of outcomes. Conclusions: Key stages of the military career may provide manageable challenge bites for planning with executive and health care colleagues to forecast and control occupational health risks to operational capability and thus contribute to achieving military objectives. Copyright © by Association of Military Surgeons of U.S., 2005.