Navy Medicine Meets With Top Health Care Leaders from Nashville

Navy Medicine met with top health care leaders at the Nashville Health Care Council here as part of Nashville Navy Week, May 11.

Rear Adm. Donald Gintzig, deputy chief, medical operations, U.S. Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, was the senior medical officer during the visit.

“It is an honor to have Rear Adm. Gintzig visit during Nashville Navy Week and address members of the Nashville Health Care Council,” said Caroline Young, president, Nashville Health Care Council. “It is a wonderful opportunity to learn the similarities and challenges both civilian and military health care organizations face, as well as the overall mission of Navy Medicine.”

During his presentation, Gintzig focused on Navy Medicine’s advancements in research and development, humanitarian assistance/disaster response, garrison care, and expeditionary care.

“We are America’s Navy – a global force for good,” said Gintzig. “When a disaster occurs, Navy Medicine is there. It is our corpsmen, doctors, nurses, and other Navy Medicine health care professionals who answer the call when needed.”

As a global force for good, Gintzig also addressed the importance of wellness and preventive care as a means of ensuring force health protection.

“First and foremost is wellness,” said Gintzig. “We must focus on preventive care and ensure our patients are provided the means and teams of health care professionals to attain this goal. Although there is not one single model of care that fits all, we must work together, civilian and military, to learn from one another, in how to provide the best health care possible for all populations.”

The group discussed the importance of the electronic health care record, resiliency in mental health, and shared initiatives in the medical homeport model.

“It’s an honor to be back in Tennessee and meeting with the top health care leaders of the world,” said Gintzig, a native of Murfreesboro, Tenn.

The Nashville Health Care Council, founded in 1995 as an initiative of the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, is an association of health care industry leaders working together to further establish Nashville’s position as the nation’s health care industry capital. The Council is supported by over 220 member organizations, including Nashville-based and national health care companies and professional services firms that serve the health care industry. Members include BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, Citigroup, GE Healthcare, and Hospital Corporation of America to name a few.

Navy Medicine is a global healthcare network of 63,000 Navy medical personnel around the world who provide high quality health care to more than one million eligible beneficiaries. Navy Medicine personnel deploy with Sailors and Marines worldwide, providing critical mission support aboard ship, in the air, under the sea and on the battlefield.

Nashville Navy Week is one of 15 Navy weeks across the country this year. Navy Weeks are designed to show Americans the investment they make in their Navy and increase awareness in cities that do not have a significant Navy presence.

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Naval Today Staff , May 14, 2012; Image: US Navy