TAMC's Year in Review

HONOLULU -- Tripler Army Medical Center (TAMC) highlights 2014 mission in the Pacific Region.

TAMC kicked off 2014 by establishing a smoke-free campus policy.

"Tripler's proactive adoption of a tobacco free campus puts us at the tip of the spear," said Col. Lawrence Connell, then Chief of Staff for the Pacific Regional Medical Command (PRMC). "The Department of Defense hopes to launch a new initiative transforming all military installations into tobacco free facilities by 2020," he said.

In February, TAMC's Family Practice Clinic (FPC) completed construction on a pharmacy located right at the Family Practice Clinic. "We foresee the Family Medicine Pharmacy benefiting all TAMC Patients. Patients seen within the Family Medicine Clinic will no longer have to make the trip to the main pharmacy. At the same time, the patient load at the main pharmacy will be diluted resulting in less congestion and shorter wait times," stated Lt. Col. Tou Yang, Department of Pharmacy Chief or TAMC.

In March, Tripler earned accreditation from The Joint Commission, the nation's oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in healthcare, by demonstrating compliance with national standards for health care quality and safety.

To receive this recognition, Tripler underwent a rigorous five-day survey where important functions relating to the care of patients and hospital management were evaluated.

The month of June is typically known for graduation dates, and TAMC was no exception.

The 121 members of the Graduate Professional Health Education Class of 2014 participated in a commencement ceremony, June 13.

July was a signnificant month for TAMC with the completed installation of 41 patient lift systems into private and semi-private patient rooms enhancing the quality of care provided to patients.

That same month, TAMC also partnered with Naval Medical Center Portsmouth (NMCP) to help them establish their own virtual specialty consultation system, called Health Experts online at Portsmouth (HELP), similar to TAMC's Pacific Asynchronous TeleHealth (PATH) system.

"I think it will be important for Navy Medicine East. We've found that two-thirds of the clinical questions in PATH can be answered quickly and without that face-to-face visit with the specialist," stated Lt. Col. C. Becket Mahnke, TAMC PATH Director.

He also added that 97% of consults are answered within a week.

July also marked a new chapter in the growth of the regional medical command with the official split between TAMC and PRMC.

This split enables expanded and enhanced medical support and partnership throughout the area of responsibility.

"Tripler Army Medical Center will have a Colonel commander like all other Army Medical Centers but will retain its unique position however--as the Tertiary referral center in the Pacific, as a top producer of health care for the AMEDD and as a critical partner in the Pacific with other service facilities, civilian hospitals and our long standing Joint Venture partner, the VA," stated Brig. Gen. Dennis Doyle, previous Commander of PRMC.

During the ceremony, TAMC also welcomed incoming TAMC Commander, Col. David Dunning.

TAMC introduced a new approach to pregnancy, from first visit to birth, that helps put expectant mothers in charge of their pregnancy and aids them in having a more active role throughout the pregnancy known as Centering Pregnancy.

Legacy of Life Hawaii (LLH) presented TAMC with its highest honor, the Health and Human Services Medal of Honor Award, for organ and tissue donation best practices during an outdoor ceremony on Sept. 25.

TAMC was also recognized for its homeless outreach and community involvement by Kymberly Pine, Councilmember, District One, who presented Col. David Dunning, TAMC's Commander, with a Council of the City and County of Honolulu Certificate of Declaration on Oct. 25.

Wrapping up October, TAMC's Warrior Transition Battalion (WTB) held a ribbon cutting ceremony, unveiling the $60 million construction project that included a 120-room, five story barracks constructed and designed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, as well kicking-off Warrior Care Month.

TAMC Soldiers shined throughout this past year with four Expert Field Medical Badge (EFMB) graduates, seven Sargent Audie Murphy Club (SAMC) inductions, and 20 Air Assault graduates.

TAMC was also part of a larger achievement.

The Pacific Regional Medical Command (PRMC) finished the year with all 14 Medical Homes being recognized by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) as Army Patient Centered Medical Homes.

TAMC not only promotes, sustains and enhances service members' health while training, developing and equipping a medical force that supports full-spectrum operations; but it delivers leading-edge health services to warriors, military families and veterans.