Lt. General Nadjay Y. West, Surgeon General and Commanding General for the U.S Army Medical Command appeared before the Senate Committee on Appropriations to discuss issues concerning Army Medicine.
He told the Committee that Army Telehealth is providing clinical services across 18 time zones in over 30 counties and territories. Army Medicine provides $14 million per year on clinical uses of telehealth such as Tele-behavioral Health (TBH)
Army Medicine has invested in three TBH provider hubs that are strategically located all over the world to ensure 24/7 routine and emergency coverage. Key programs include teleconsultations, using a mobile application system to support warriors in transition, tele-mentoring programs in pain management, and a research portfolio that is innovating deployed telehealth systems.
Army Medicine is using telehealth to create the Connected Consistent Patient Experience (CCPE) which is a 360 degree continuum around patients using advanced telehealth modalities. CCPE provides for telehealth visits to patients in their homes, optimizes provider to provider teleconsultation systems, provides pilot remote health monitoring, enhances the current telehealth operating company model for standardized global operations, and uses mature Army telehealth in operational environments.
The Army is also investing heavily in medical homes and continues to place Community Based Medical Homes (CBMH) close to where beneficiaries live and work. Over ten percent of the enrolled beneficiaries receive their primary care in a CBMH.
Currently there are 20 CBMHs supporting 13 installations. In FY 16, three more CBMHs at three installations will open and in FY 17, two more CBMHs and the Army’s first open access acute care clinic will open in San Antonio.
In addition, the Army Medical Home (AMH), a multidisciplinary approach delivering comprehensive primary care in the AMHs, CBMHs, and SCMHs, is delivered through an integrated team of healthcare professionals partnering with patients. Currently, 134 AMHs across the U.S., Europe, and the Pacific are caring for 1.3 million beneficiaries with a budget of $74.5 million.
The integration of Internal Behavioral Health Consultants (IBHC) and Behavioral Health Care Facilitators (BHCF) into AMHs has increased the availability of behavioral health services. IBHCs address common behavioral health issues as well as assist with the treatment and prevention of many chronic medical conditions. Currently, 99 IBHCs and 58 BHCFs are integrated within AMHs.