FORT DRUM — A panel of military and civilian leaders, including U.S. Sen. Kirsten E. Gillibrand, touted the north country’s healthcare system as a potential model for other military communities.
The post is the lone Army installation with a division in America that does not have an on-post hospital. Most medical care for soldiers and families is done at nearby civilian hospitals.
“It was unexpected to them. They were really excited to see the readiness, they were excited to see the quality of care; what they didn’t expect was the significant cost savings,” Sen. Gillibrand, D-N.Y., said. “That was something they learned that they didn’t think they would see, and it’s something that applies to needs across the country.”
The senator and local health care representatives spoke to Army officials and Senate Armed Services members about the system on Monday at the post’s Wheeler-Sack Army Airfield.
Erika F. Flint, executive director of the Fort Drum Regional Health Planning Organization, said the north country’s model is one that has been evolving since the 10th Mountain Division reactivated in the region in 1985.
“Ultimately our goal is to always be analyzing the region as far as healthcare, identifying those gaps, and then leveraging resources to fill those gaps,” she said.
Leadership of multiple area hospitals and the Syracuse VA were in attendance, with many speaking to the type of connections they’ve made to the post with their services.
Allen M. Edwards, a staff member for the Senate Armed Services Committee, said some aspects of the north country’s model could be replicated at other military installations.
“We think we’ve learned a lot and we can take it back with us and help the other services ... to establish these types of integrated health systems elsewhere,” he said.
Brig. Gen. R. Scott Dingle, Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations for U.S. Army Medical Command, said he had never seen anything like the region’s system, describing it as “tremendous.”
Post commander Maj. Gen. Walter E. Piatt said the community partnerships brought more benefits than just the bottom line.
“People always say ‘You don’t have a military hospital at Fort Drum,’ and I say ‘Yes, we do, we have five, they just happen to be out in the community.’ We’re integrated,” he said.
The key from the post’s perspective, Gen. Piatt said, was getting soldiers with injuries back in action.
“They look at what does it take to get that soldier back to being ready so that soldier could be deployable, be able to do their jobs so we can meet the missions our nation gives us,” he said.