OCTOBER 8, 2024 – Patients have ranked two dozen Defense Health Network Central clinics and providers as the “best of the best” in the Military Health System for patient experience and customer care, according to a recent Joint Outpatient Experience Survey, or JOES, quarterly report.
“These outstanding results are a testament to the compassion, dedication and commitment of our health care providers and teams,” said Air Force Maj. Gen. Thomas Harrell, DHN Central director and Medical Readiness Alpha commander. “It also means a lot to know that this recognition is coming from our patients, who are at the center of all we do.”
Each quarter the Military Health System uses JOES data, which measures patient experience and satisfaction during outpatient appointments, to generate a “best of the best” report. The survey requests feedback for multiple aspects of the visit, such as appointment timeliness, helpfulness of front desk personnel, provider trust and communication, medical history, access to care, and overall satisfaction with the visit.
The intent of the report is to spotlight the enterprise’s best-performing military medical clinics, providers, and clerks and receptionists – each broken out by primary and specialty care. With 18 clinics and six providers ranked as “best of the best” this quarter, DHN Central earned 20% of the top 20 rankings across the six categories, according to the report.
Congratulations to the following DHN Central providers and clinics:
Category 1: Top 20 Specialty Care Clinics
#2: Brooke Army Medical Center Nephrology Clinic
#13: Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson Urology Clinic
#15: BAMC Outpatient Nutrition Clinic
#18: MacDill AFB Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic
Category 2: Top 20 Primary Care Clinics (98.6% or better positive responses)
#2: Eielson AFB Family Medicine Practice Clinic
#3: BAMC Pediatric Clinic, Jennifer M. Moreno Clinic
#5: Naval Health Clinic Corpus Christi Flight Medicine Clinic
#10: Vance AFB Pediatric Clinic
#13: Holloman AFB Internal Medicine Clinic
Category 3: Top 20 Specialty Care Providers (100% positive responses)
#4: Maj. Nicholas Niazi, Nephrology Clinic, David Grant Medical Center, Travis AFB
#16: Capt. Hunter Phillips, Ophthalmology Clinic, Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland
Category 4: Top 20 Primary Care Providers (100% positive responses)
#7: Xavier Quinones, Family Practice Medicine Clinic, Jennifer M. Moreno Clinic, BAMC
#14: Capt. Crystal Cowan, MacDill AFB
#19: Juan Garza, Internal Medicine Clinic, WHASC, JBSA-Lackland
#20: Jared Nelson, Family Practice Medicine Clinic, Fairchild AFB
Category 5: Top 20 Specialty Care Clerks and Receptionists (100% positive responses)
#4: BAMC Oncology Clinic
#9: David Grant Medical Center Neurology Clinic, Travis AFB
#17: BAMC Otolaryngology Clinic
Category 6: Primary Care Clerks and Receptionists (100% positive responses)
#3: Kirtland AFB Family Practice Medicine Clinic
#8: Luke AFB Internal Medicine Clinic
#9: Vance AFB Flight Medicine Clinic
#11: Eielson AFB Flight Medicine Clinic
#12: Altus AFB Family Practice Medicine Clinic
#13: Ellsworth AFB Flight Medicine Clinic
Patients typically receive the outpatient survey via email within 72 hours after an appointment but will not receive more than one survey every 90 days. It only takes about 10 minutes to fill out, but the feedback has a lasting impact on patient experience and satisfaction, Harrell noted.
“Feedback offers us an opportunity to identify trends and assess the need for process improvements not only within the clinic where the patient was seen, but across our enterprise,” the director said.
This feedback is also important on an individual provider level, Harrell noted, as it can improve transparency and the partnership between patients and their health care teams.
“We encourage our patients to fill out these surveys and welcome their comments, both positive and negative, as opportunities to learn and grow,” Harrell said.
For more information on JOES and other Defense Health Agency patient satisfaction surveys, visit https://health.mil/Military-Health-Topics/Access-Cost-Quality-and-Safety/Health-Care-Program-Evaluation/MHS-Patient-Satisfaction-Surveys.
Story by Elaine Sanchez
Defense Health Agency