The Colorado Market establishment ceremony at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado, on June 22, 2021, included a cake cutting with Air Force Col. Patrick Pohle, 21st Medical Group commander, left, Army Col. Kevin R. Bass, Evans Army Community Hospital commander and Colorado Market director, Army. Lt. Gen. (Dr.) Ronald J. Place, director of the Defense Health Agency, Air Force Col. Christopher Grussendorf, 10th Medical Group commander, and Air Force Col. Shannon Phares, 460th Medical Group. (photo by Airman Aaron Edwards).
Place said the integration of services in a combined effort was key to getting the Colorado Military Health System off the ground.
"We're at this ceremony today because Army and Air Force Leadership, along with their staffs, were committed to this shared mission," said Place.
Bass, Evans Army Community Hospital commander and now the Colorado Military Health System director, echoed Place.
"The military treatment facilities that make up this market have a long history of working together to ensure the delivery of safe and quality health care to over 216,000 beneficiaries throughout Southern Colorado," said Bass. "As an integrated health care system, we will optimize access to care for our beneficiaries and maintain a ready medical force."
Establishing markets allows military medical treatment facilities within these markets to improve coordination with each other. They work with local, federal, state and civilian health entities to improve patient services. The Colorado Military Health System will operate as a system - sharing patients, staff, and budgets - to improve readiness and the delivery and coordination of health services, regardless of whether the facilities are Army or Air Force.
The Colorado Military Health System follows the establishment of five previous markets. With the addition of Colorado, current DHA markets are:
- Central North Carolina
- Coastal Mississippi
- Colorado
- Jacksonville
- National Capital Region
- Tidewater
The complete transition of MTFs to the DHA includes 19 direct reporting markets, 17 small markets and many stand-alone MTFs across the country that will report to a Small Market and Stand Alone MTF Organization, and two overseas Defense Health Agency Regions.