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20th MDG triumphs

  • Published
  • By Richard Preheim
  • 20th Medical Group
SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. --  Team Shaw's 20th Medical Group recently earned a superior rating in a Health Services Inspection, and at the same time netted national re-accreditation from the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care.

Scoring higher than 90 percent during a visit by a team from the Air Force Inspector General, the med group earned inspectors' praise for many programs which they called the best they had seen. The IG team found no repeat findings.

While the official AAAHC report will not be published for a few more weeks, the AAAHC complimented the group for sustained superior performance and noted medical operations improved upon the near perfect score from three years ago.

"Team Shaw enjoys outstanding medical support every day and this week's results reconfirms we have the best medical team around," declared Col. Clay Hall, 20th Fighter Wing commander. "Congrats to everyone in the med group. You should be proud of yourselves!"

Col. Dean Borsos, 20th MDG commander, said he is truly proud of the Airmen of the group. "They routinely impress me with their commitment and dedication to our patients and mission. It is inspiring to work with a team that is focused on the here and now, as well as plans to make even better things happen in the future."

The 12-member team from the Air Force Inspection Agency and AAAHC reported the 20th MDG was providing safe and innovative health care and enabling mission requirements for the 20th Fighter Wing, Air Combat Command and the numerous mission partners at Shaw.

Especially noteworthy was the inspectors' repeated reference to a positive "can-do" attitude throughout the organization. Borsos said a rewarding part of the inspection was listening to the laudatory feedback about the staff. "The inspectors would highlight a program or process and close by describing how the enthusiasm or professionalism of the Airmen in charge of the program was remarkable," he noted. "Another program would be discussed and followed by (comments describing) how the Airmen truly enjoyed their jobs and it showed in the outcomes they attained."

Borsos added such accolades are not unexpected when it comes to Team Shaw's outstanding medics. "They have repeatedly demonstrated their expertise and skills with incredible outcomes in the unit compliance inspection, no-notice operational readiness inspection and (more)."

"Even more commendable," Borsos added, "is they did so well on the HSI and AAAHC, while participating in the ACC Safety PME and conducting deployment processing lines at the same time."

The inspectors validated operational compliance of programs and processes with Air Force Instructions, federal and state requirements and civilian health care standards, to include supporting documentation and outcomes, over a three year period.

The HSI scored medical group operations in three categories. Along with superior ratings for expeditionary and in-garrison, med group earned the highest possible evaluation for oversight and management.

Four functional areas, including operational medicine, worker protection and public health surveillance, dentistry and business management were tops. Additionally, four areas were rated as superior while only one area received an average rating.

Borsos concluded, "We've been steadfast in developing a culture of compliance (with standards). Likewise, these results are reflective of the caliber of personnel assigned to the med group -- not only the individuals or teams who manage the programs but the supervisors who mentored and led their efforts to help attain those results."