Forum discusses medicine's future

  • Published
  • By Jim Spellman
  • 60th Medical Group Public Affairs
SACRAMENTO, Calif. --  Community leaders from academia, private industry, Veterans Affairs and the Air Force gathered for a medical leadership forum during Air Force Week Sacramento. 

Held on the eighth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, an audience of more than 200 active duty, regional medical school deans and administrators and medical, dental and allied health students met at Sacramento State University's Alumni Center to learn "The Future of Medicine: Perspectives on Healthcare from Senior Civilian, Veterans Affairs and Air Force Medical Service Leaders." 

Moderated by local FOX 40 news personality Donna Cordova, presentations included speakers from the Department of Veterans Affairs' Sierra Pacific Network, the California Hospital Association, the University of California, Davis, and the David Grant USAF Medical Center at Travis Air Force Base. 

"What we do and the support that you give us, is to make sure that man or that woman, that Soldier, Sailor, Airman or Marine who puts boots on the ground has the health care and the support he or she needs to accomplish the mission," said Dr. (Maj. Gen.) Douglas Robb, command surgeon, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott Air Force Base, Ill. "I never lose sight of what we do . . . to do what our nation calls us to do." 

General Robb outlined for the audience the Air Force Medical Service's "full spectrum of care" and the Air Force's evolving medical mission, pointing out the Critical Care Air Transport Team, essentially a flying intensive care unit, as a key example. "Our lifeflights aren't 20 minutes," said General Robb, "Our lifeflights can be 10 to 12 hours and can be VFR direct for 24 hours with in-flight refueling. This is a major cabability that the United States Air Force can do to support our men and women." 

The Air Force's medical mission also includes partnerships with civilian institutions and the Department of Veterans Affairs. "Ten years ago, I don't think any of us would have envisioned that we would be sitting up here together" said General Robb. "In fact, we have come together in collaborations and from mutual support." 

General Robb highlighted tactical combat casualty care and the ability to bring a wounded warior from the battlefield to a surgical room within 20 to 40 minutes, which has resulted in the highest rate of survivability in the recorded history of warfare via damage control surgery and resuscitation.
"I would argue that we would not be able to do that without the support and our alliances with our civilian institutions where our military members can spend time in their trauma centers so we can get that skill set for our ability to go into a tent on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border to save lives," General Robb explained. "We are doing surgeries far forward that sometimes you wouldn't even imagine doing in our hospitals back home."