OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. -- The 55th Medical Group showcased their wide ranging capabilities and professional staff to the Air Force Surgeon General during her two-day visit here Dec. 9-10, 2019.
Lt. Gen. Dorothy Hogg, Air Force Surgeon General, came to visit the Offutt medics and share her vision to the 55th MDG so she could aid them in their future success in the medical field.
“Thank you for a great day, this is always the best part of our jobs,” Hogg said. “Coming out and seeing what all the great things all the medics are doing, then we take it to the chief and then we brag.”
The 55th MDG supports the 55th Wing, U.S. Strategic Command, 557th Weather Wing as well as personnel assigned to the more than 50 mission partner units here as well as their families. In total, the group provides medical and dental services for more than 27,000 patients with wide-ranging outpatient clinic expertise.
Recently, the 55th MDG transitioned to the Defense Health Agency on Oct. 1, 2019.
“Ensuring we continue to strive for safe quality care in whatever environment we are in,” said Col. Julie Ostrand, 55th MDG commander. “Our culture of high reliable organization will not change as we transition with the Defense Health Agency.”
During the visit Hogg toured the Ehrling Bergquist Clinic to learn what innovative ways the 55th MDG is using to accomplish their mission.
She also met with various flights throughout the 55th MDG and saw first-hand what makes the EBC work so efficiently.
“Do we have the best quality program in the whole military health system, yes,” Hogg said. “I am a little bias. We are really helping the DHA to build their functional capability and I’m fine with that.”
After seeing the facilities, Hogg held an all-call in the EBC assembly hall where she encouraged the mighty medics to be innovators.
“I am deputizing every one of you in this room right now to be disruptive innovators, do it better,” Hogg said. “When you do it better, and it works, lets us know.”
Being disruptive innovators was a main component of Hogg’s message to the 55th MDG. She said thinking “without a box” ignites change and empowers the medical staff to be the metamorphosis their career field needs.
“The Air Force Medical Service is going through change. Don’t sit back, but lead the way through the change,” Ostrand said. “We can help build our future and what it looks like.”