The U.S. Military and Four Cincinnati Health Systems Join Forces to Provide Medical Training to Active Duty, Reserve, and Ohio National Guard Service Members

  CINCINNATI, OHIO - 08/14/2018 (PRESS RELEASE JET)

On August 14, four (4) independent health systems: The Christ Hospital Health Network, Mercy Health, TriHealth, and UC Health will sign nine (9) year agreements with the US military to provide specialized medical training to Active, Reserve, and Guard personnel from all branches of service. Operation Hospital S.M.A.R.T. (Strategic Medical Asset Readiness Training), piloted at Hackensack University Medical Center last year and now being implemented in four Cincinnati hospitals, helps to establish a national network of healthcare facilities that will provide critical medical training to our nation’s service members. Colonel Brad Wenstrup, US Representative; The Health Collaborative; and several leaders from Army, Army Reserve, Ohio National Guard, and United States Air Force will host the kickoff event.

WHAT: The kickoff event in Cincinnati expands on the innovative strategic partnership between the U.S. military and leading regional healthcare systems. Senior officials will sign newly minted medical training agreements that allow military personnel to conduct hands on training and patient care in Cincinnati for nine (9) years. 

WHERE:The Health Collaborative, 615 Elsinore Place, Suite 500, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

WHEN:Tuesday, August 14, 2018

10:30AM Program

11:05AM PHOTO OPPORTUNITY – Signing of Medical Training Agreements

WHO:38 Active, Reserve, and Ohio National Guard personnel

Emcee: Colonel Brad Wenstrup, DPM, USAR, Medical Policy Advisor to the Chief of the Army Reserve, U.S. Representative

338^th Army Band out of Whitehall, Ohio

The architects of Operation Hospital S.M.A.R.T: Colonel Cindy Saladin-Muhammad, US Army, Brigade Commander, Northeast Medical Area Readiness Support Group; and Lieutenant Colonel Michael Filipowicz, US Army Reserve, Deputy Commander, NE-MARSG

Craig Brammer, CEO, The Health Collaborative

Mark Clement, President & CEO, TriHealth

Mike Keating, President & CEO, The Christ Hospital

Major General Michael O’Guinn, Former Deputy Surgeon General for Mobilization and Readiness, US Army Reserve

Major General John Harris, Assistant Adjutant General, OH National Guard

Rick Shumway, CAO & Vice President, UC Health

Retired Brigadier General Rufus Smith, Ohio State Chair, Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve

John Starcher, President & CEO, Mercy Health

WHY: Operation Hospital S.M.A.R.T. prevents skill atrophy and helps to build civil/military relationships while strengthening community ties. 

Following a successful pilot at Hackensack University Medical Center, in Hackensack, New Jersey, the S.M.A.R.T. program expanded into Ohio. Operation Hospital S.M.A.R.T. (Cincinnati) is the first time four independent hospital systems collaborate to train our Armed Forces. By pooling resources across the hospital systems, uniformed Service Members receive training on cutting edge technology that will prevent skill atrophy and advance their individual readiness in support of the National Security Strategy. The Service Members will partner with their civilian counterparts for several weeks of intense training resulting in superior skills, confidence and readiness across the healthcare spectrum. Training includes accompanying paramedics on ambulance calls, working alongside Emergency Room personnel and flying on University of Cincinnati’s Air Care.The program also includes specialties such as radiology, laboratory technology, dental treatment, mental health and many others.

About The Health Collaborative:

The Health Collaborative is a non-profit organization that strives to positively impact health status, experience, outcomes, and affordability by fostering a connected system of healthcare and community health through innovation, integration, and informatics in the greater Cincinnati region. For more information about The Health Collaborative, visit healthcollab.org.