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CARE SYSTEM
PROFILES

SAMHS:

Military medicine improves care, reduces costs

By Joint Base San Antonio: 59th Medical Wing, Lackland, and Southern Regional Medical Command, Fort Sam Houston

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the fifth article in a planned series of Care System Profiles, highlighting var-
ious healthcare providers in Bexar County in the pages of San Antonio Medicine. The goal of the series
is to inform BCMS members about the relationships that exist within and among various local institu-
tions. Articles will focus on what distinguishes one system from another, and what is unique about each
organization. Representatives of local healthcare delivery systems are being invited to submit an article
describing their institutional initiatives for publication in the series. Organizations are featured in the
order in which their articles are submitted and approved. Members of the BCMS Communications/Pub-
lications Committee review articles before publication, and content may be edited for format, style and
clarity. For guidelines and more information, email editor@bcms.org.

Military medicine embodies a rich military heritage – car- efficiencies we've gained thus far under the SAMHS um-
ing for the nation’s defenders and their families. The San brella,” said Col. Kyle Campbell, commander of Brooke
Antonio Military Health System (SAMHS) is building on Army Medical Center.
the foundation of that heritage amid the changing landscape “We look forward to making even larger strides improving
within the Department of Defense (DoD). the quality of care and increasing the number of patients we
Military medicine is implementing many positive changes care for as we move into the new enhanced multi-service
to optimize efficiencies and improve access to care by sharing market."
resources. To accomplish this, Army and Air Force medical Cost savings include a pain clinic consolidation, which
commands in San Antonio are working together to create began in October, where the Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical
and sustain a high quality system of health. The SAMHS in- Center Pain Clinic began integrating with the San Antonio
tegrates both local military medical commands (the 59th Military Medical Center (SAMMC) Department of Pain Man-
Medical Wing at Lackland and the Southern Regional Med- agement and work in the new Interdisciplinary Pain Manage-
ical Command at Fort Sam Houston) to improve beneficiary ment Center. The collaboration and consolidation saves costs
health, reduce variances, and lower the cost associated with related to running two separate clinics. In addition to improv-
military healthcare. ing patient care, it greatly improves the academic experience
The SAMHS collaborates with numerous community- of the San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education
based healthcare organizations to facilitate the services pro- Consortium residents and fellow physicians.
vided to beneficiaries. SAMHS partners include the Bexar The relocation and consolidation of all labor and delivery,
County Medical Society, the Department of Veterans Affairs’ postpartum, and neonatal intensive care unit inpatient serv-
South Texas Veterans Health Care System, the Mayor’s Fit- ices at SAMMC has resulted in a busy and efficient ward
ness Council, BIOMED-SA, the San Antonio Health Cell, (occupancy rate fluctuates between 65 percent to more than
and the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce. 80 percent), with the highest patient satisfaction scores of
“We are delighted with the increases in effectiveness and any inpatient labor and delivery service in the DoD. The

22 San Antonio Medicine • February 2014