CSM Summit attendees seek to improve health readiness across Army

Photo By Wesley Elliott | U.S. Army Medical Command, Command Sgt. Maj. Gerald Ecker, speaks at his final Command Sergeant Major (CSM) Summit, Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, Texas. The annual CSM Summit is a gathering of Army Medical Department (AMEDD) Senior NCOs with the intent of developing shared understanding and receiving updates on innovative activities throughout the Army.  

UNITED STATES

11.03.2017

Story by Wesley Elliott 

U.S. Army Medical Command

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-Fort Sam Houston, Texas -- The final days of October and first few days of November were full of activities on Fort Sam Houston. The annual Command Sergeant Major, or CSM, Summit was one of the highlights that brought together Army Medical Department (AMEDD) Senior NCOs for three days of discussions on a ready medical force and leader development.

With 37 sessions, a day at the Best Medic Competition and other activities, participants were left with many important topics to ponder including the challenges of improving not only their commands but also helping the U.S. Army as a whole to maintain medical readiness.

"We plan to see ourselves much better than when we came in," said MEDCOM Command Sgt. Maj. Gerald Ecker during his opening remarks at the Summit.

The course of the Summit was clear from the first day with clear, critical themes emerging such as accepting the uncertainty of the future, ensuring a ready medical force, improving communication of strategic messages, breaking through bureaucracy and stove piping, changing the organizational culture, and ensuring the success of two different domains and mission sets.

Ecker touched upon ensuring Army Medicine would answer the call to fulfill the needs of the Joint Forces.

"How do we influence better execution that gets after better war care," Ecker asked rhetorically in his opening remarks.

This foreshadowed presentations and discussions to come that clearly indicated the need for better training for combat medics and other medical personnel. The concern was that combat medics were not receiving clinical experience, and that some might go half of their career without directly working on a patient, Sgt. Maj. David Allegretti, Office of the DCoS MEDCOM Quality and Safety, mentioned.

Regional Health Command-Atlantic's Command Sgt. Maj. Matthew Brady mentioned how his region was dealing with the issue of training by noting, "We're getting more and more combat medics in exam rooms with providers."

Regional Health Command-Central's Command Sgt. Maj. Tabitha Gavia discussed the system Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio used to help its people boost its training. Medical staff are assigned to a level depending on their skills and experience. Colors such as black, green, yellow and red are used to describe a particular level. This not only helps others who deal with the professionals to know what they can expect from him or her but also creates motivation for combat medics and other medical professionals to improve their color level standing.

She also mentioned that combat medics are being exposed more to virtual health so they can get hands on experience.

• Date Taken: 11.03.2017
• Date Posted: 11.16.2017 16:08
• Story ID: 253986
• Location: US