Top DOD Health Leader Hears from Stakeholders in Puerto Rico

Top DOD Health Leader Hears from Stakeholders in Puerto Rico

Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs Dr. Lester Martínez-López attended the first health symposium in Puerto Rico Sept. 5, 2024, focused on improving health services access for Department of Defense beneficiaries in the region.

He joined more than 50 leaders and representatives of active duty, National Guard and Reserve forces on the island, along with Veterans Health Administration, U.S. Coast Guard, Puerto Rican government, and local advocacy and veteran service organizations.

The symposium was hosted at Fort Buchanan by the Army Reserve Command's 1st Mission Support Command. After the symposium, Martínez toured U.S. military facilities, including Fort Buchanan's Rodriguez Army Health Clinic.

The audience received in-depth briefings and information on the state of medical readiness for U.S. military National Guard and Reserve forces, TRICARE Area Office Latin American and Canada enrollment and network capabilities, and a look at all the military medical facilities on the island.

"These conversations are extremely important," Martínez said. "Puerto Rico has unique challenges, and things need to be looked at differently," he said. "That's true for other regions around the world where we have closely examined the issues and ultimately found solution sets."

DOD health care facilities on the island include the Rodriguez Health Clinic on Fort Buchanan, the main U.S. military installation, and a National Guard clinic in the south. In addition, the U.S. Coast Guard operates two clinics, one in San Juan and one in Aguadilla on the West Coast.

The eligible TRICARE population is approximately 38,000, which includes active duty service members and families, National Guard and Reserve and families, and approximately 24,000 military retirees and their families. Puerto Rico offers several TRICARE health plans under the TRICARE Area Office for Latin America and Canada, such as TRICARE Prime Remote, TRICARE Select, and TRICARE Reserve Select.

"I am extremely proud of what has happened this morning," said U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Carlos Gorbea, the 1st MSC Commanding General, at the end of the symposium. "We are all together in tackling health services issues on Puerto Rico and we're going to move the ball forward. By having that look across the DOD services and looking at medical infrastructure more holistically, we have already seen some opportunities. This is historic-it's the first time we all have put our heads together to improve health services for everyone."

On Sept. 6, Martínez toured the Department of Veterans Affairs' San Juan Medical Center, a full-service hospital with 422 operational beds that serves more than 65,000 veterans on Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

He listened to Thomas Steinbrunner, the interim executive director of the VA Caribbean Healthcare System, and his senior staff talk about the VA's health care services, education and research programs, and its networks of clinics in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

"The Military Health System as has a strong partnership with the VA, evidenced recently through the establishment of more joint DOD/VA clinics in the last year to expand access," Martínez said. "The MHS' patients are the VA's future patients. The opportunity is always there to explore how we both can continue to strengthen that partnership to share resources to better serve our patients."