I’ve just received these notes form a friend who is paying attention to medicine as a career in our Army. This will drive out a number of great docs who are taking very good care of our troops. There’s no reason to think that the other Services won’t be experiencing the same thing.
Big cuts coming for Army Medical staffing.
Currently 21% of Army Officers on the books are “Health Related”
Army cannot afford that high a percentage and still man the tactical Army.
Expect to lose all medical staff in Brigade Combat Teams, Battalions etc. and go back to a PROFIS model of support (doctors at the clinic and come to you just for the field exercise)
New cuts: Almost all bases will lose their hospitals (except Hood, Bragg, Campbell and a few super-bases). Bases like Eustis, Jackson, Gordon, Benning, etc will lose their hospital in the next 5 years.
Hospitals will become “super clinics” and do some minor same day surgery but little to no overnight or trauma care.
All Army Medical personnel will *only* get professional pay while in a practicing clinic setting. Hospital Commander = no special pay; HQ surgeon, staff = No special pay. This will drive out senior medical staff.
All US based medical care on installations will come under a Defense Medical Care umbrella. Purple/Joint with majority civilian or contract staff.
In the next 10 years expect the Defense Medical Care to morph and absorb the VA Medical Hospitals and care for veterans. We cannot afford two medical systems for veterans (VA and TRICARE).
