The 579th Medical Group here recently passed its tri-annual Health Services Inspection, receiving an overall satisfactory rating for the Jan. 14 to 18 evaluation. A HSI assesses medical readiness, management effectiveness and quality of health-care delivery at Air Force medical units, evaluating whether or not health-care providers and nurses are performing successfully while supporting readiness.
“This inspection rating validates the quality care we provide to our Airmen and their families,“ said Col. Dennis L. Oakes, 579th Medical Group commander. “It also ensures that we are meeting all other health needs and keeping active-duty members ready for war.“
The Air Force Inspection Agency and Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care performed the HSI. They looked at the past 24 months of expeditionary medical operations, in-garrison medical operations and leadership. After getting the notification six months ago, the 579th MDG prepared by gathering documents, submitting reports, evaluating their processes and conducting follow-ups, similar to what the inspectors did while they were here.
“During the inspection the inspectors went through everything with a fine-tooth comb,“ Colonel Oakes said. “It's very rigorous and exact. But when everything is said and done, it's a big sigh of relief.“
The HSI inspection is comparable to a unit compliance inspection Air Force wings undergo every four years but with focus on health care.
According to Col. Gary S. Forthman, Air Force Inspection Agency Medical Operations director, to achieve an overall satisfactory rating, a medical group must now score from 80 to 87, a much tougher standard than the old 75 to 84 range. Based on prior years, more medical groups are more likely to score in the satisfactory range in 2008, reducing score inflation. A satisfactory rating will now more accurately reflect satisfactory compliance in the true sense of the word, that is, overall requirements being fully met and satisfied.
“It was a lot of hard work,“ said Capt. Kathy A. Knowles, 579th MDG. “We had to make sure everything was, and is, top notch.“
HSIs are conducted to provide senior Air Force leadership with accurate data upon which to base policy decisions. HSIs also give medical units a thorough, accurate assessment of their ability to fulfill their peacetime and wartime missions, said Colonel Forthman.
Although the 579th MDG received an overall rating of satisfactory, dentistry, deployment processing and public health received “outstanding“ grades, while mental health and disease management earned “excellent“ marks.
Colonel Oakes attributes this success to leadership and teamwork.
“We had contributions from the entire medical group,“ Colonel Oakes said. “It took everyone from the 0-6s to the one-stripers to get this done. We were all under the microscope.“
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