Potential Application of Healthcare Program at Cannon for Remote Air Force Medical Facilities?
From the Scaredy-Cat Shelter of the Uncensored:
The Wheels of Medicine Turn at Cannon Air Force Base
Things are kickin' at Cannon Air Force Base, N.M., as they've managed to snag some medical bigwigs from afar, and it seems to be makin' quite the difference. With fewer families hittin' the road and fewer travel vouchers wiskey-washed away, the situation's shapin' up nicely for those in need of a check-up. Three other Air Force bases have been eyeballin' the scene, hintin' at this setup becomein' a Blueprint for remote areas.
Welcome to the Rodeo Docs - Launched back in October 2023, this baby's aimin' to tackle the struggle folks in rural New Mexico have been facin' when it comes to score some specialists. One doc spilled the beans to New Mexico in Depth back in 2023, "We ain't got enough docs nowhere in New Mexico, but especially in rural New Mexico."
A medical powwow held at Cannon last year unveiled shortages in specialties like behavioral health, applied behavior analysis, neurology, and endocrinology. Families were trekkin' an average of 147 miles for consultations and treatments.
The Rodeo Docs stepped up by bringin' in military health care providers from outta state, ready to lasso in their skills wherever they're needed. As long as they've got an unrestricted active state medical license, they're good to go and not bound by the same state licensure restrictions that bite their civilian counterparts.
Fast forward fourteen months, and 160 patients and about 130 families have benefited from the Rodeo Docs with help in endocrinology, developmental pediatrics, psychiatric care for the little whippersnappers, and more. The Rodeo Docs have saved $200,000 in travel voucher dollars and 1,400 man-hours (about 58 whole days). They've also made it a breeze for military families with special needs to settle in at Cannon. The Exceptional Family Member Program denial rate dropped from 38 percent in 2023 to 10 percent in this year.
Col. Danielle Cermak, commander of the 27th Special Operations Medical Group, hollered out the Rodeo Docs bein' a "huge win."
"This program's helped us boost access to specialty providers, continue to support the health needs of our patients, and keep Cannon's mission rockin' and rollin'," Cermak said.
With the Rodeo Docs takin' off like a rocket, more specialty services gonna join the party in 2025. That could include rheumatology and tele-audiology. Lt. Col. Rene Hinton, chief of medical staff at the 27th SOMDG, thinks a partnership with the Colorado Military Health System may deliver weekly virtual neurology appointments and dermatology consultations, while the Naval Medical Center of San Diego could provide telehealth options for child psychology.
Cannon ain't the only one wrestlin' with these issues. Access to medical care is a problem across the whole military due to staff shortages, limited providers at tiny military treatment facilities, and a dearth of providers willing to jump aboard TRICARE, according to a 2023 Defense Department Inspector General report.
Budget cuts are leavin' some contracts for base medical personnel unfilled, resultin' in many locations in the continental U.S. beggarin' for providers. Other bases are hankerin' for a piece of the Rodeo Docs action: a spokesperson for the Defense Health Agency, which governs the Rodeo Docs, spilled to Air & Space Forces Magazine that reps from three bases have tossed around the Rodeo Docs, but whether we'll see any action from that remains to be seen. The Defense Health Agency connects military treatment facilities the world over: it helped Cannon work with Army and Air Force dermatology experts in Colorado and rheumatology providers all the way from the 88th Medical Group at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. Earlier providers came from as far as Alaska.
"We're keepin' our eyes peeled for more partners to provide more care options," Hinton said.
- The Air Force's success at Cannon Air Force Base has drawn attention from other bases, hinting at the Rodeo Docs becoming a model for remote health care in other locations.
- The Rodeo Docs, launched in October 2023, aim to address the shortage of specialists in rural New Mexico.
- Shortages in specialized care, including behavioral health, neurology, and endocrinology, have forced families to travel an average of 147 miles for consultations.
- The Rodeo Docs have made a significant impact, saving $200,000 in travel voucher dollars and 1,400 man-hours while helping 160 patients and about 130 families.
- The Rodeo Docs have also contributed to a significant reduction in the Exceptional Family Member Program denial rate, dropping from 38 percent in 2023 to 10 percent in the current year.
- In 2025, more specialty services like rheumatology and tele-audiology are expected to join the Rodeo Docs program, with potential partnerships with the Colorado Military Health System and the Naval Medical Center of San Diego.
- The Rodeo Docs program is not only addressing these issues at Cannon Air Force Base but also across the military, as budget cuts and staff shortages leave many military treatment facilities without sufficient medical personnel.
