The Dead American Dream

The Hidden Face of Military Non-Combat Healthcare 1981-2013, Master Sergeant William Cornett

Phyllis Hardin

• Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc.
• Year: 2020
• ISBN:
  9781644245286
• Topic: Law
• Subtopic: Military Law
• Index: Law

Master Sergeant William Cornett (United States Air Force) became yet another countless victim of the Department of Defense (DoD) noncombat health care system in the fall of 2013. His death was the direct result of unqualified people practicing medicine. Upon entering his provider's names through the National Provider Identifier (NPI) registry, it was noticed the individuals that signed their credentials as doctors were actually licensed as a student and a general practice dentist.

Fixing Noncombat Health Care

It is long overdue to bring the DoD noncombat military health care system into the twenty-first century with EBP health care instead of Feres Doctrine–driven healthcare. This can be accomplished by adhering to the same evidence-based standards as all other health care entities and bringing pride into being a board-certified medical provider that graduated from an accredited university and that is practicing within the scope of their practice when giving health care in noncombat military health care settings. The following actions are what is required to eliminate current known issues with military medical care of service members and their families:

Item	Action	Rationale
General Accountability Office (GAO) Investigation	A baseline investigation of noncombat military health care needs to be conducted to (1) ascertain why noncombat military health care is being conducted in this manner, and (2) the number of military medical providers that are unlicensed and/or are practicing outside of the scope of their practice, and (3) the number of deaths, and (4) the number of medical disabilities that have occurred as a result of this practice.	Currently, the harm rate to active duty service personnel seeking medical care during noncombat is unknown according to the DoD’s own sources (New York Times 2014). There has to be a baseline developed in order to know if interventions to improve noncombat health care are successful.
Create an independent oversight agency to oversee non-combat health care provided by the DoD	There is no accountability or oversight for the noncombat health care provided by the DoD. The DoD held a conference to address the issue of military medical negligence in 2015 and has admitted it will take five to ten years to “change the culture.”	The threat to the national security of this country will remain at risk as long as the current processes regarding military health care during noncombat continues. Military families will continue to be destroyed by Feres Doctrine–driven health care.
Credentials for providers of Non-Combat Health Care	Ensure everyone that is practicing medicine has passed the same state board certification exam that all civilian providers must pass in their own state in order to practice medicine in that state.	Although the DoD Manual 6025.13 already specifies these requirements, they are not being followed. Accountability for the DoD includes all noncombat health care being provided by board-certified medical professionals practicing within the scope of their practice, with current licensures on file with the agency in which they are employed. The licensures are to be made available to those seeking health care. There has to be accountability for the DoD in order to (1) ensure the integrity of military service families, and (2) guarantee the military, as a whole, will be at its maximum potential to defend the interests of this great nation!
Combat Health Care	Ensure the DoD sets up a certification board for all providers for all combat-related health care.	War creates conditions in which there is no formal or organized form of health care.
Education	Ensuring all service personnel that are entering the medical field attend an accredited educational institution and are not permitted to practice independently until after passing a board certification exam that all civilian providers must pass in order to practice in that state.	This eliminates the need for inroads as currently being legislated to allow military medical personnel to practice independently as licensed practitioners in the civilian sector after separation from service. This action also stops the military from allowing unqualified medical personnel (posing as licensed medical providers) to provide medical services in the community (civilian) health care settings (e.g. health fairs, free dental screenings, etc.).
Feres Doctrine	Amend Feres Doctrine to remove all legislation related to no...