A Department of Defense (DOD) report on the size and scope of military hospitals calls for the 436th Medical Group to adjust how it operates.
The on-base Military Treatment Facility (MTF) has been ordered to transition from an outpatient clinic to an active duty and occupational health clinic in the coming years. This means it will only treat uniformed service members and in some cases civilian employees on the base.
Family members, military retirees and others will get their care from the TRICARE civilian health care network and likely transition to providers off-base.
“Once this plan is implemented these changes will better align the military health system infrastructure with its core mission of delivering a fit and healthy fighting force and the ready medical forces to meet the nation’s needs,” said Technical Sgt. Charles Broadway, a spokesman for the 436th Airlift Wing.
Sgt. Broadway couldn’t immediately say how many civilians receiving care on-base this would affect as the plan is still in its early stages.
“I can not tell you for sure an exact number or an exact category—whether it would be dependents, retirees, both or none—that’s going to come in the coming years when the tailored plan gets made for Dover Air Force Base’s MTF.”
The plan is part of a national assessment of health services provided by the DOD for its 9.5 million beneficiaries.
Dover Air Force Base’s MTF is one of 50 the DOD report picked for restructuring.