DGMC hosts 'Deep Dive' for innovation

  • Published
  • By James Spellman and Maj. Kevin Schultz
  • 60th Medical Group
TRAVIS AFB, Calif. --  The staff at David Grant USAF Medical Center is accustomed to seeing and hosting large numbers of high-visibility tours and visits each year with high-ranking officials, distinguished visitors and VIPs.

The tongue-in-cheek phrase, "Tours R Us" is often worn as a badge of honor by DGMC staff members who get caught up in these frequent activities - although they certainly are a good bullet for anyone's annual performance report.

So it should come as no surprise when Dr. Jonathan Woodson, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs saw something that impressed him about DGMC after a recent visit.

It impressed him enough to request 57 innovators and subject matter experts from all three branches of the Military Healthcare System to go to Travis Air Force Base on a "Deep Dive" to collaborate with DGMC staff in developing innovative solutions for recapturing specialty and inpatient care to military hospitals.

"In January 2012, I outlined my intention to more rapidly implement and evaluate innovations across the Military Health System that support our strategic goals and objectives," said Dr. Woodson in a letter addressed to all three Surgeon Generals in charge of military health care services. "I am convinced that the ideas, processes and solutions that will improve existing operations are present within our talented workforce."

As with any tour of DGMC, a lot of time is spent in preparation, including briefing rehearsals with story boards, to ensure scheduled activities go off like clockwork.

"For the past three days, my office partner Mariano Mesngon and I have been working 15 hours each day in support of the 'Deep Dive' Innovation Think Tank," said Pete Gaudet, 60th Medical Support Squadron data analysts. "The attending individuals were hand-picked from the Air Force, Navy and Veterans Administrations to re-think how we deliver health care to our beneficiaries."

"These are high-profile folks -- the 'who's who of Military medicine,'" Gaudet said. "Seriously folks -- your military has some of the best and brightest who are revolutionizing how quality health care is being delivered."

The MHS Innovation Deep Dive participants identified more than 50 potential ideas to address the problems concerning health care and consolidated them into four specific pilot programs. Estimated costs versus savings for the four pilot programs are tabulated to be $1.6 million, resulting in a net savings of $6.5 million.

The group also identified two initiatives for future consideration and longer-term strategies that will be encapsulated in a follow-on report.

"The major takeaways from this 'Deep Dive' is we have the tools, understanding and leadership to stop leakage and recapture specialty and inpatient care in our Military Treatment facilities," Woodson said. "We were able to identify care coordination processes between primary and specialty care that needs focused attention."

According to Dr. Woodson, the nexus between long-standing Tricare policies and internal referral management can be in conflict.

"While there is no silver bullet our pilot programs are intended to evaluate a range of concepts; there would be greater efficiencies if successful and scaled," Woodson said. "The MHS has no shortage of courage, we need that courage to move the country's health care forward."

Additional specific target areas for future Deep Dives to be held over the next six months include obesity, tobacco use and knowledge sharing and management to support innovation.