Thursday, November 27, 1997
Local community vital to base medical services,
new commander says
By BETH HALLMARK / Abilene Reporter-News
Abilene's role in providing health care to Dyess Air Force
Base will continue to increase, the new commander of Dyess' 7th
Medical Group said Wednesday.
"We'll become even more dependent on the local community
than we have been in the past," Col. Harry Kuberg said, noting
the Dyess-Abilene partnership. "One of the most impressive
things about coming here is that there truly is a community-type
relationship."
Kuberg officially took over the reins of the medical group
from outgoing commander Col. Robert Kunkel at a ceremony Wednesday.
Base medical services have undergone significant changes in
recent years due to military cutbacks. TRICARE, a managed care
plan for military personnel, was introduced to curb spiraling
costs. And in 1996, Dyess closed the base hospital's emergency
room and coverted it into an extended care clinic.
In further moves to replace inpatient care with outpatient
services, Dyess officials plan to convert the base hospital to
a "super clinic" by 2000. Procedures requiring lengthy
hospital stays will be conducted at civilian facilities.
But Kuberg said the changes won't alter the medical group's
mission, which is to "care for those who fought and will
fight, and their families."
As commander of the 7th Medical Group, Kuberg will oversee
the 15-bed base hospital, 375 medical personnel and an $11 million
annual budget. An Air Force physician since 1979, Kuberg has served
as head of medical services at bases across the country.
Prior to coming to Dyess, Kuberg was the chief of clinical
medicine at Air Mobility Command headquarters. Kunkel, whom Kuberg
is replacing, is retiring from the military and planning to open
a private practice in Missouri. He commanded the 7th Medical Group
for 3-1/2 years.
During that time, he said, the medical group handled 400,000
outpatient visits, 3,000 surgeries and 1,100 deliveries.
"We have really done a lot of work," he said.
Under Kunkel's leadership, the medical group implemented a
"power team" plan to improve the hospital's family practice
clinic and set up a nurse advice program for patients to call.
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Abilene Reporter-News / Texnews / E.W. Scripps Publications
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