Navywide integration of Navy Medical and Dental Treatment Facilities is now projected to be completed by early 2005–six months ahead of schedule, Navy Medicine leaders recently announced.
The Surgeon General of the Navy first announced the integration of Medical and Dental Treatment in April, keeping with the Chief of Naval Operation’s (CNO) vision to make better use of uniformed personnel within the human capital strategy.
Navy Personnel’s independent review of dental command structures cites an anticipated cost avoidance of $4.4 million during the next five years. Navy Medicine leaders emphasize, though, the goal of the initiative is an improved management process while maintaining the same high standard of care.
“The quicker we can consolidate, the faster we can streamline our processes, eliminate duplicate functions and optimize manpower,” said CAPT Carol Turner, chief of the Navy Dental Corps. “The early integration also gives our Navy dental leaders a chance to focus on expanded career opportunities through integration into the total Navy health delivery system.”
The two phases of the integration include the transfer of financial functions from dental activities to the designated Medical Treatment Facilities and then disestablish dental commands in early 2005.
According to Turner, the benefits of integrating the two areas of Navy health delivery are numerous, for the patient as well as the provider. More than 95 percent of the Navy’s treatment facilities–dental and medical–are in the same building or within a short walking distance. This proximity, along with similarities in processes, provides an opportunity to combine medical and dental fiscal and business practices, eliminate duplicate functions and better use manpower resources,
“This integration is focused on ensuring the continuation of world-class health delivery to our beneficiaries,” said Turner. “implementation of the initiative Hill be transparent to the Sailors and Marines under our care?”
The Navy’s three dental battalions will remain as commands while Headquarter Marine Corps evaluates their appropriate organizational structure for their evolving mission accomplishment.
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