The Defense Health Agency (DHA) is a joint, integrated combat support agency that enables the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Air Force medical services to provide a medically ready force and ready medical force to combatant commands in both peacetime and wartime. The DHA is in charge of integrating clinical and business operations across the Military Health System (MHS) and facilitates the delivery of integrated and reasonably priced health care to MHS clients.
As a part of the MHS, the DHA maintains a global workforce of almost 140,000 civilians and military personnel. Through TRICARE, the DHA manages a global health system serving 9.5M beneficiaries and supporting 700+ hospitals and clinics worldwide.
History The United States Department of Defense established the DHA as part of a larger effort meant to reorganize its health care programs and services. The reorganization was based in part on the recommendations of a task force that issued a report on the management of U.S. military health care in 2011.Basu, Sandra. "AF General Named to Head Defense Health Agency in New MHS Governance Model." U.S. Medicine. July 2013. Under the old system, many aspects of military health care were managed by the individual armed services (Army, Navy, and Air Force).Traynor, Kate. "Defense Health Agency Makes Its Debut." American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. December 15, 2013. on the tricare.mil website
Structure
The DHA operates under the authority and oversight of the assistant secretary of defense for health affairs. The ASD(HA) is a civilian, Senate-confirmed official who serves as the chief medical adviser to the secretary of defense and oversees health policy and budgeting across the system, as well as directing the activities of the Defense Health Agency. (see organization chart, right)."About DHA" page on the tricare.mil website
Defense Health Networks The Defense Health Agency implemented a deliberate organizational change to strengthen the management of health care delivery, combat support and support to the military health enterprise worldwide. Military hospitals and clinics are organized into one of nine Defense Health Networks enabling the Defense Health Agency to deliver high-quality health care. A Defense Health Network is a group of military medical and dental facilities that operates as a coordinated system and improves the delivery and continuity of health services.
National Capital Region Medical Directorate The National Capital Region Medical Directorate is a medical directorate within the DHA.
Education & Training Directorate Medical Education and Training Campus See:
List of directors Director Term Service branch Portrait Name Took office Left office Term length
See also Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs Military Health System Military medicine Surgeon General of the United States Army Surgeon General of the United States Navy Surgeon General of the United States Air Force TRICARE Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences US Family Health Plan
References
External links DHA.mil, official website of the Defense Health Agency