congressional level to address improved access through interservice and interagency coordination of services. HEALTH PROMOTION The ultimate goal of any health professional or health care system is to improve the health status of its customers. This goal directs the efforts of the Navy Medical Department toward this ultimate aim by aggressively placing increased emphasis on its role as a primary consultant and advocate in health promotion for the Navy and Marine Corps and as a role model for effective health promotion programs. RESOURCE ACQUISITION AND USE At the foundation of everything the Navy Medical Department accomplishes today or aspires to accomplish tomorrow is the acquisition and optimal use of resources. This strategic goal focuses on improving the ability of every member of the Medical Department to contribute effectively to the budget process. The goal involves them in the resource planning process, and emphasizes aggressive pursuit of all resource opportunities through resource sharing, identifying and removal of regulatory barriers, cross utilization of people, and third party reimbursement. PERSONAL GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT The Navy Medical Department is striving to stimulate and enable every member to reach full potential by providing the very best opportunities for personal growth and development, consistent with our mission. This goal recognizes our people as our most important resource through initiatives in education and training, identification of long range professional and technical requirements, meeting or exceeding professional development standards, fostering professional growth and development, and directing the focus of our education and training on the student. COMMUNICATIONS The Navy Medical Department is striving to create an environment which improves information flow at all levels. This strategic goal aims at improving and facilitating communication through internal and external organizational initiatives, eliminating barriers to effective communication, and making use of education and technology to improve communications. I am absolutely convinced that this deliberate planning process will launch Navy Medicine on a course for continuous improvement well into the next century. For the next year, however, our plans are reflected in the President's fiscal year 1993 Department of Defense budget request. Budget OverVIEW The Navy medical portion of the DOD budget is vital to maintaining the readiness of our naval forces. The regional defense strategy has people at the center of all four of its essential elements: Strategic Deterrence, Forward Presence, Crisis Response and Reconstitution. The integrity, competence, physical courage, moral courage, and tenacity of naval personnel are based in large part on their health status and the health status of their families. Our officers and sailors are the best in the world in part because they are well cared for and they believe that should they become wounded or injured they will receive the finest health care available. Medical care, health promotion and prevention mean readiness and readiness means victory. We are working closely with the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health Affairs) to execute the Navy portion of the Defense Health Program. Navy is being provided the resources and the planning guidance to provide health services for the Active component, their dependents and other beneficiaries including retirees and their dependents. Our objectives are to provide trained health care manpower to deploy in support of the Navy's combat and contingency and mobilization plans, provide hospitalization capabilities in the combat zone, the communication zone and the continental United States, provide health services through payments to Navy's portion of CHAMPUS and through other direct and coordinated health care initiatives. I remain concerned that efforts to reduce the funding levels of the base maintenance program in anticipation of force reductions may be outpacing reductions in the actual demand for services and be failing to anticipate the various transitional benefits packages being considered. The demand for medical care is inelastic and reduced operating tempos at medical facilities may not be achieved even with force reductions. I am committed to working with the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health Affairs) to successfully implement the Defense Health Program. I deeply appreciate your continued ardent support for the medical personnel, active, reserve and civilian that make the execution of the Navy's portion of the Defense Health Program possible. CONCLUSIONS Mister Chairman and members of the committee. There are no simple solutions to the complex array of challenges we face. We in Navy Medicine will spend our energy seeking improvements in all we do on a continuing basis. Small improvements build on one another to cause significant change in the way we do business. We are institutionalizing this process in Navy Medicine through Total Quality Leadership. One of the first products of our approach is our Navy Medical Department Strategic Plan. Our plan will guide us on our journey to excellence. Your support of Navy Medicine and the care and concern you have repeatedly demonstrated for active, reserve and retired sailors and marines and their families is very much appreciated. On their behalf, I thank you. I am truly honored to have been given the opportunity to lead the splendid men and women that comprise Navy Medicine at this point in our history. Our challenges are real-our opportunities for improvement unparalleled. NAVY WE ARE the Medical Department of the United States Navy OUR MISSION is to ensure the health of our Sailors and Marines so that they are physically and mentally ready to carry out their worldwide mission. WE WILL ACCOMPLISH this with a comprehensive health promotion program and, when illness or injury intervenes, restore optimal health. WE WILL STRIVE CONTINUALLY to provide this same level of quality healthcare services to the WE ARE STANDING BY AND ARE ALWAYS READY TO ASSIST. NAVY VISION WE ARE the Medical Department of the United States Navy. ALL ENTRUSTED TO OUR CARE proudly view Navy Medicine as their preferred source for healthcare. HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS view Navy Medicine as a superior arena for realizing HEALTHCARE ORGANIZATIONS view the Navy Medical Department as a paradigm of excellence. FLEET AND FIELD COMMANDERS view Navy Medicine as fully capable of providing OUR PEOPLE view themselves as empowered members of the world's finest healthcare team. WE ARE STANDING BY AND WILL ALWAYS BE READY TO ASSIST NAVY DEPARTMENT GUIDING 三卯 WE ARE the Medical Department of the United States Navy WE WILL Support the combat readiness of the Navy and Marine Corps Care for all persons as unique human beings worthy of our courtesy, compassion and respect. Earn the trust and confidence of our patients by enthusiastically providing prompt access to quality Attend to the medical needs of the families of our active Teach, for it is through education that we build the Continuously improve in all aspects of our enterprise. WE CARE for each other just as we care for our patients. This is the basis of the teamwork and trust that must exist for us to succeed. WE ARE STANDING BY AND ARE ALWAYS READY TO ASSIST. |