An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Local News | Oct. 15, 2024

Medical Leaders Provide Update on DOD's Health Care Focus

By David Vergun, DOD News

All service members and their families deserve quality care, better access to treatment centers, health care providers and mental and physical well-being, said Army Lt. Gen. Telita Crosland, director of the Defense Health Agency.

Crosland spoke on the panel "Transforming Combat Ready Care" today at the Association of the United States Army's annual meeting and exposition in Washington. 

A secure video system for providers to meet virtually with their patients is being piloted and rolled out, she said. 

When Fort Moore, Georgia, was devastated by Hurricane Helene, the medical providers conducted about 600 virtual appointments, as travel to medical treatment facilities was often precarious, Crosland said. 

Simplifying the hiring process to employ quality medical providers is a priority. Her team is looking at eliminating processes and policies that slow the hiring process and make it more complicated.  

It will take a multifaceted approach to achieve this, she said. For example, making better use of technology like taking fingerprints from home instead of having the applicant travel to a processing location and centralizing processes to reduce a lot of variation between locations. 

"A lot is on us. I'm not a fan of the bureaucratic process," she said. 

There's also future potential for wearing health monitoring devices that can feed useful data to providers and improve wellness. But doing that requires a thoughtful and deliberate approach, Crosland said.

Army Lt. Gen. Mary K. Izaguirre, surgeon general and commander of the Army Medical Command, who also spoke on the panel, said her top priority is ensuring troops and medical providers, such as combat medics, are ready for the rigors of warfare. 

Sustainment health is also important — ensuring that troops and their families stay healthy, she said, means verifying that soldiers and families have access to health and wellness centers on installations. 

"I'm a big believer in prevention," Izaguirre said, noting that after medical school, she wasn't in great shape and credited the Army for helping her to achieve her fitness and health goals. 

The Army is also focused on retaining its health care workforce, she said. Part of that is investing time and money in quality training and the other part is having a culture where people want to be because they feel supported and valued and can operate at the top of their game, she said.
 

Uniformed service member climbing obstacle outdoors

USARIEM Researchers Find Potential Genetic Marke...

Local News
Aug. 26, 2025

The biomarker for stress adaptability could lead to new ways to treat stress disorders like PTSD.
Read More
Service member leans over microscope and looks at tick.

Tick Talk: Prevention and Protection

Local News
Aug. 19, 2025

There are several types of ticks that transmit diseases to humans, the most common ones are blacklegged ticks...
Read More
Outline of man made out of leaves running next to group of vegetables. Text reads: "Nutrition is an Important Element of Recovery. DHA Public Health"

Nutrition Strategies Fuel Recovery Following Mus...

Local News
Aug. 19, 2025

According to Defense Health Agency–Public Health, more than 95% of active duty military personnel’s injuries...
Read More
Close-up of mosquito on leaf. Text reads: "Public Health: Prevent. Promote. Protect. Fort Carson, CO"

West Nile Virus Cases on the Rise

Local News
Aug. 12, 2025

The Fort Carson Public Health Team is warning the community to take steps to prevent against West Nile Virus...
Read More
Service member clicks on tablet. Screen reads: "Your visit with your clinician is about to begin."

BRAVE Virtual Mental Health Helps All Service Me...

Local News
Aug. 04, 2025

BRAVE augments local mental health services with video teleconferencing at facilities where mental health...
Read More
Uniformed service members stand in line with papers while medical provider holds laptop.

Medical Rodeo: Vital to Providing Medically Read...

Local News
Jul. 28, 2025

The rodeo aims to ensure service members in the National Capital Region are ready to deploy by offering fast...
Read More
Service member wearing red tank top lifts weights outdoors.

Ask the Doc: Trust the Military Health System To...

Local News
Jul. 21, 2025

Losing weight and keeping it off is something many of us have to deal with at some point in our lives. We...
Read More
Uniformed service member types on keyboard in front of desktop showing myAuth login screen.

DOD Launching New Authentication System To Repla...

Local News
Jul. 17, 2025

Over the next 18 months, the Defense Department will replace the legacy DS Logon system, which authenticates...
Read More

Aug. 26, 2025

USARIEM Researchers Find Potential Genetic Marker for Resilience

The biomarker for stress adaptability could lead to new ways to treat stress disorders like PTSD.

Aug. 19, 2025

Tick Talk: Prevention and Protection

There are several types of ticks that transmit diseases to humans, the most common ones are blacklegged ticks that transmit Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, and babesiosis.

Aug. 19, 2025

Nutrition Strategies Fuel Recovery Following Musculoskeletal Injury

According to Defense Health Agency–Public Health, more than 95% of active duty military personnel’s injuries are musculoskeletal and are the leading reason for military medical visits.

Aug. 12, 2025

West Nile Virus Cases on the Rise

The Fort Carson Public Health Team is warning the community to take steps to prevent against West Nile Virus infection. West Nile virus is the leading cause of mosquito-borne disease in Colorado and has been affecting Coloradans since 2002. In Colorado, the majority of human WNV cases occur in August and September. So far this year, Colorado has reported nine human cases of WNV and one adult death.

Aug. 4, 2025

BRAVE Virtual Mental Health Helps All Service Members Get Therapy

BRAVE augments local mental health services with video teleconferencing at facilities where mental health services may be in short supply.

July 28, 2025

Medical Rodeo: Vital to Providing Medically Ready and Ready Medical Forces

The rodeo aims to ensure service members in the National Capital Region are ready to deploy by offering fast and complete care. Soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines can update medical records, complete exams, and get cleared for duty—all in a single visit.

July 21, 2025

Ask the Doc: Trust the Military Health System To Guide Your Weight-Loss Journey

Losing weight and keeping it off is something many of us have to deal with at some point in our lives. We asked a military cardiologist how best to get in shape physically, eat better, and keep our hearts healthy.

July 17, 2025

DOD Launching New Authentication System To Replace DS Logon

Over the next 18 months, the Defense Department will replace the legacy DS Logon system, which authenticates users onto more than 200 DOD and Veterans Affairs websites, with a more modern and flexible system called myAuth.

July 16, 2025

Commentary: Helping Children Cope With Change During Summer Months

Change can be hard for everyone but especially for children who often do better with structure and stability. Although change is a natural part of life, regardless of age, there are simple strategies to help children cope with changes, whether small or big.

July 9, 2025

Babesiosis, Lyme Disease Emerging Co-Infection Threat from Deer Ticks in Maryland

Babesiosis is a malaria-like disease that is more commonly found in the Northeast and upper Midwest of the U.S.