Go Flight Medicine

Military Aviation

A Defense of Military Medicine

A scathing editorial from the New York Times published on 23 June 2014 attacked military healthcare delivery and suggested that it delivers a far inferior form of medicine than the civilian system.

By Rocky Jedick MD, MBA · · 8 min read

The Hippocratic Oath
"...and I will do no harm or injustice to them." ~ Hippocrates (460-370 b.c.)

An article from the New York Times titled "In Military Care, a Pattern of Errors but Not Scrutiny" directed strong criticism against military healthcare. This post provides a critical analysis and defense of military medicine.

A Brief History of Patient Safety

To Err is Human - 1999 IOM Report

In November 1999, the Institute of Medicine's report "To Err is Human" suggested that 44,000-98,000 people died each year due to preventable medical mistakes.

Crossing the Quality Chasm

How to Measure Healthcare Quality?

Commonwealth Fund Rankings

Key metrics include: Safety, Effectiveness, Preventative Health Services, Timeliness, Cost, Access, Innovation, and Equity.

The NY Times' Arguments Examined

Anecdote Analysis Surgical Complication Rates

The article points out that military healthcare is representative of the larger U.S. healthcare system, with half of hospitals performing better than expected.

Need an FAA Medical Exam?

Schedule at One of Our Clinic Locations