Phone survey to track military health care experiences

Tricare Management Activity is sponsoring a survey of ill or injured service members beginning May 1 to examine post-deployment health care experiences.

The survey is in response to a request from Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates.

“This will be a timely and effective way to get the feedback the military health system needs to better respond to the post-deployment needs of our service members,” said Ms. Ellen P. Embrey, deputy assistant secretary of defense for force health protection and readiness.

Officials will use the data to assess service members’ health care satisfaction levels with their access to care, administrative and personnel support, assistance for family members and their health status.

Findings from the survey will help officials formulate policies and programs to improve meeting the needs of ill and injured service members, including support to family members and as the sponsor goes through the recovery, rehabilitation and reintegration process.

Ms. Embrey urges all service members who have returned from deployment to use the survey tool to share their experiences about the accessibility, timeliness and quality of health care services they received since returning from deployment.

Officials will keep all responses confidential.

For more information, service members may call the Deployment Health Hotline at 800-497-6261 between 7:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, Mondays through Fridays.

The survey also is available at FHP Survey.