Providing quality medical care at a remote, isolated duty station

Abstract

The U.S. armed forces deploy active duty personnel to virtually every region of the world. Family members accompany the service member at many of these remote, isolated assignments. This discussion highlights the barriers to the provision of medical care to these active duty personnel, their families, and other eligible beneficiaries, such as government service and Department of Defense civilians. To succeed in this endeavor, the isolated military medical treatment facility must first consider the critical resources available that will enable it to overcome known barriers. Next, careful deliberation will identify the necessary components of a health care network suitable for the remote duty station. The facility must then recognize and address its responsibility to conduct ongoing evaluation of the quality of care and of customer satisfaction with its network. This discussion concludes with a description of a successfully implemented health care network at a remote, isolated duty station.