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The TRICARE awards presented at the annual TRICARE Conference held recently in Washington, D.C., reflected the commitment of the senior leadership to improving access to military treatment facilities (MTF), and to achieving high customer satisfaction throughout the Department of Defense's (DoD)TRICARE health system.
The awards were presented to CONUS(continental United States)and OCONUS(outside the continental United States medical centers, community hospitals, and ambulatory care facilities. The awards were based upon data from TRICARE Management Activity's (TMA) monthly customer satisfaction survey.
The Naval Ambulatory Care Clinic at King's Bay, Ga., exemplified the best performance in both areas, receiving plaques for the Customer Access Award,presented for the first time this year, and the MTF Customer Satisfaction Award for a CONUS ambulatory care facility.
In addition,a Regional Access Award was presented to the lead agent at TRICARE Pacific for the best record of beneficiary satisfaction with access to health care services. This award is based on data from the annual health care survey of DoD beneficiaries.
All award winners were identified by TMA's Health Program Analysis and Evaluation directorate. Dr. Sue Bailey, Assistant Secretary of Defense, Health Affairs and Dr. H. James T. Sears, executive director of TMA, announced the winners at the conference.
"Our beneficiaries have told us that access to care is one of their priority issues with TRICARE. For that reason, we believe it is most important to recognize our military medical facility personnel and our managed care support contractor staff who have excelled in facilitating access and customer satisfaction," stated Dr. Bailey.
"The men and women operating the King's Bay clinic demonstrated superior, customer-friendly performance and excellence in meeting access standards for TRICARE," said Dr. Sears, explaining the criteria for the awards. Winning this award requires innovative leadership, committed providers and clinic staff, and outstanding support of the TRICARE program."
Four other facilities received recognition in both award categories. The 86th Medical Group, Ramstein Air Base, Germany, and the 319th Medical Group at Grand Forks Air Force Base in North Dakota both received plaques for customer satisfaction and certificates for access. The 28th Medical Group, Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., the 55th Medical Group, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., and the 354th Medical Group at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, received plaques for access and certificates for customer satisfaction. Receiving certificates in both categories was the 74th Medical Group at Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.
In addition to those already mentioned, facilities receiving plaques for outstanding access were the 81st Medical Group, Keesler Air Force Base,Miss., and the 3rd Medical Group, Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska. Other access certificate winners included: Evans Army Community Hospital, Fort Carson, Colo.; Weed Army Community Hospital, Fort Irwin, Calif.; McDonald Army Community Hospital, Fort Eustis, Va.; Blanchfield Army Community Hospital, Fort Campbell, Ky.; Naval Hospital, Charleston, S.C.; the 341st Medical Group, Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont.; the 30th Medical Group, Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.; and the 31st Medical Group, Aviano Air Base, Italy.
Additional recipients of customer satisfaction plaques were the 60th Medical Group, Travis Air Force Base, Calif., and the Naval Hospital, Rota, Spain. Customer satisfaction certificate winners also included: the Naval Hospital, Pensacola, Fla.; Naval Hospital, Jacksonville, Fla.; Naval Hospital, Bremerton, Wash.; 49th Medical Group, Holloman Air Force Base, N.M.; 14th Medical Group, Columbus Air Force Base, Miss.; 71st Medical Group, Vance Air Force Base, Okla.; the 509th Medical Group, Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo.; the 22nd Medical Group, McConnell Air Force Base, Kan.; the Naval Medical Group, Annapolis, Md., and the Naval Hospital, Sigonella, Italy.
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