Patients rank WBAMC's Internal Medicine near top of Army clinics

By Marcy SanchezMarch 21, 2017

Patients rank WBAMC's Internal Medicine near top of Army clinics
1 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Col. John A. Smyrski III (right), commander, William Beaumont Army Medical Center, presents Maj. Bernadette Villarreal, chief, Internal Medicine Clinic, a plaque recognizing the IMC's ranking as third "Best of the Best" Primary Care Clinic, across al... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Patients rank WBAMC's Internal Medicine near top of Army clinics
2 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Col. John A. Smyrski III (far left), commander, William Beaumont Army Medical Center, and Dr. Todd Lucas (center), deputy quality and safety, WBAMC, present staff with WBAMC's Internal Medicine Clinic a plaque recognizing their ranking as 16th "Best ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Patients rank WBAMC's Internal Medicine near top of Army clinics
3 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Staff with William Beaumont Army Medical Center's Internal Medicine Clinic is recognized as the Army's third "Best of the Best" among all Primary Care Clinics and 16th "Best of the Best" for Primary Care Clerks & Receptionists, during a recognition c... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

William Beaumont Army Medical Center's Internal Medicine Clinic (IMC) was recognized for their professionalism and dedication to care in two categories of the newly implemented Defense Health Agency (DHA) Joint Outpatient Experience Survey (JOES) for the 1st Quarter of FY 17.

The clinic was ranked third in the Army's first "Best of the Best" report among all Primary Care Clinics for Army Military Treatment Facilities and also ranked 16th for Primary Care Clerks & Receptionists.

JOES is DHA's standardized means of assessing beneficiaries' ratings of Department of Defense Military Treatment Facilities through the use of outpatient surveys.

For Juanita Blake, a medical support assistant and eight-year veteran of the IMC, the rankings don't come as a surprise to her as she shares her philosophy regarding patient care.

"When patients first come in, the receptionists or clerks at the front are the initial contacts in the clinic," said Blake. "If the initial contact is positive, that energy is pleasant and puts the patient at ease."

The quarterly report recognizes Military Treatment Facilities that derive high outpatient clinic satisfaction scores in JOES using one or more of six categories: Specialty Care Clinics, Primary Care Clinics, Specialty Care Clinic Providers, Primary Care Clinic Providers, Specialty Care Clerks and Primary Care Clerks and Receptionists.

While addressing the clinic's staff, WBAMC Commander, Col. John A. Smyrski III, said, "Not only is Army Medical Command recognizing (the Internal Medicine Clinic's) hard work, our patients are recognizing it and the commitment to their care."

"Patient Care is at the heart and center of any clinical operation, without patients we don't have anyone to care for," said Blake.