1. Defend the homeland
2. Deter strategic attacks against the United States, our allies, and our partners
3. Deter aggression and be prepared to prevail in conflict when necessary
4. Build a resilient Joint Force and defense ecosystem

The MHS supports these priorities by improving efficiency so Department resources can be dedicated to deterrence and defense; through reforming operations and organization to operate the enterprise more effectively; by continuing to engage with global health partners to strengthen alliances around the world; and by supporting and improving the health of our warfighters to ensure a ready and resilient global force.

We're modernizing to better serve beneficiaries and respond to changes in law and policy. Historic reforms to the TRICARE health plan took effect Jan. 1, 2018, and TRICARE experienced it's first open enrollment season in fall 2018. DHA and Health Affairs will continue to oversee these reforms with the goal of providing even more integrated, higher-quality care to TRICARE beneficiaries. We are encouraging our beneficiaries to Take Command of their benefit to enhance their TRICARE experience. Read more about ongoing changes to TRICARE.

MHS GENESIS, the MHS's new electronic health record, provides enhanced, secure technology to manage your health information. MHS GENESIS integrates inpatient and outpatient solutions that will connect medical and dental information across the continuum of care, from point of injury to the military treatment facility. This includes garrison, operational, and en route care, increasing efficiencies for beneficiaries and health care professionals. When fully deployed, MHS GENESIS will provide a single health record for service members, veterans, and their families.

Read more about MHS GENESIS.

The MHS is undertaking a once in a generation reform effort to improve the readiness of our forces and the health care service we provide to our warfighters, retirees and military families. This process is designed to increase overall access to care for beneficiaries; improve coordination, standardization, and dissemination of best practices across the MHS; and provide more opportunities for military medical providers to get the training they need to meet readiness goals. Part of that process involves the transition of responsibility for administration and management of military hospitals and clinics from the Army, Navy and Air Force to the DHA. Transition efforts began in 2018 and the final DHA region was established in October 2022. 

Read more about the MTF Transition

The MHS Joint Trauma System is a world-leading repository of knowledge about combat casualty care, providing life-saving lessons for the military and for civilian trauma care.

Military surgeons serve in civilian facilities around the country, gaining skills for use in wartime and providing invaluable care for local communities, and they are regularly on the front lines of care in domestic mass-casualty incidents.

Read more about the Joint Trauma System

Military medical research is focused on the needs of military commanders, from novel ways to prevent blood loss in combat to wearable health monitoring devices to new safeguards against infectious disease. Many military R&D efforts translate into better civilian health care as well, from trauma care to combatting malaria.

Read more about the ongoing research and development in the MHS

MHS success depends on building strong partnerships with the civilian health care sector.

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DOD's Global Health Engagement activities advance operational readiness and protect our troops, build interoperability so we can work more effectively with the armed forces of our partner nations, and enhance security cooperation so DOD can establish and maintain strong relationships around the world. A key enabler to regional stability and security for DOD's combatant commands, global health engagement reduces risks to U.S. armed forces while fostering mission capability of partner nations' forces so that together, we can continue working effectively to defend global interests.

Read more about DOD's commitment to global health engagement

To find information for Communicators, visit the Global Health Engagement Toolkit.