USNS COMFORT, Va. (Jan. 26, 2022) — Military and civilian leaders of the Defense Health Agency’s Tidewater Market gathered, in accordance with social distancing guidance, for a strategic planning offsite Jan. 25 to 28 to develop solutions aimed at achieving the market’s strategic goals.
During the symposium, U.S. Air Force Col. Mark Lamey, deputy director of the Tidewater Market, discussed fostering a market perspective, improving performance and outcomes, achieving solvency through fiscal discipline and affordability, strengthening collaboration across facilities and product lines in support of integrated, highly-reliable system of medical training, readiness, and healthcare.
“To succeed in a resources-constrained and high-cost healthcare environment, Tidewater Market leaders must expeditiously think, collaborate, and innovate in all we do. It is imperative that we evaluate our current structure and processes to remain a relevant provider of accessible and affordable healthcare to the Tidewater region,” Lamey said.
For Tidewater’s leaders, developing a strategic way forward to proactively address operational challenges were key to making the symposium a success.
Rear Adm. Darin Via, director of the Tidewater Market, empowered leaders from McDonald Army Health Center, Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, and 633D Medical Group, as well as market staff and deputy directors, to excel as a high-reliability organization by adapting organizational structures to best support the beneficiaries within the market.
“If current structures hinder substantial performance, we will consolidate, eliminate, or restructure as needed,” said Via.
On the first day, market leadership met at the Army Transportation Museum Foundation in Fort Eustis, Va., to discuss short-term, mid-term, and long-term goals, and develop a strategic five-year plan. On the second day, the team met onboard the USNS Comfort (T-AH-20), the Mercy-class hospital ship. The day concluded with a tour of the ship and a discussion of Joint military medicine.
“It was great to get together this week to determine our strategic priorities as a market and really see ourselves as one team moving forward,” said U.S. Air Force Col. Anne Marie McCain, director of the 633d Medical Group.
Lamey closed with saying, “We need to move forward as one market, enhancing our strengths and minimizing our weaknesses. The most important part of the past two days is developing a Market that provides greater choice and access to our eligible beneficiaries by operating as a single integrated health system.”
The Tidewater Market includes the following military medical treatment facilities:
Navy
- Naval Medical Center Portsmouth
- Branch Health Clinic (BHC), Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek (Boone Clinic)
- BHC, Dam Neck Annex
- BHC, Norfolk Naval Station (Sewells Point)
- BHC, Norfolk Naval Shipyard
- BHC, Chesapeake (Northwest Annex)
- BHC, Naval Air Station Oceana
- BHC, Yorktown (Naval Weapons Station)
- TRICARE Prime Clinic Virginia Beach
- TRICARE Prime Clinic Chesapeake
- TRICARE Prime Clinic Suffolk
Army
- McDonald Army Health Center, Fort Eustis
- Troop Medical Clinic 1 (TMC1)
- Troop Medical Clinic 2 (TMC2)
- Fort Story Army Health Clinic
- Community-Based Medical Home Williamsburg
Air Force
- USAF Hospital Langley Air Force Base (633 MDG)