Quality Assurance in the DoD Healthcare System
Source: U.S. Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General

The Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (Clinical and Program Policy) requested the audit because of concerns that the military healthcare system does not provide full visibility over the quality assurance process DoD uses to report medical incidents.

We visited seven military treatment facilities in the military health system. Each maintained certification from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations and had active and ongoing programs for patient safety and risk management. In spite of these programs, healthcare managers in the health system did not have sufficient visibility of medical incident events. To improve the system, we recommend that the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs and the Military Departments revise their regulations on quality assurance, require uniform use of the information system DoD uses to track risk management, and establish a link between patient safety and risk management for medical incidents deemed potentially compensable events. Such improved guidance as well as consistent implementation and reporting from the patient safety and risk management programs will help military health system managers monitor and improve the quality of medical care in the military health system and mitigate the risk of financial loss. See the Finding section of the report for the detailed recommendations.

+ Full Report (PDF; 3.35 MB)

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