Air Force District of Washington –
Elizabeth Dolan's birth at Southern Maryland Hospital Center Feb. 2, 2010 was a revolutionary step forward for the way care is delivered to expectant mothers served by the 779th Medical Group at Malcolm Grow Medical Center on Andrews AFB, Md.
The successful delivery was orchestrated by Capt. (Dr.) Stephanie Wright, an Air Force physician with the 779th MG. It symbolized the unification of two hospitals into one continuous care provider for expectant mothers. Baby Dolan's birth was routine, with no complications and little fanfare, aside from the fawning of her parents and family.
Beginning September 2011, Malcolm Grow Medical Center will no longer provide procedures which require inpatient, overnight stays. MGMC has already closed it's inpatient labor and delivery facilities. As a result, expectant mothers at MGMC will now receive pre-natal care at the MGMC military facility on Andrews, while labor induction and delivery services will be administered by 779th MG OB/GYN physicians on call permanently at the nearby Southern Maryland Hospital Center in Clinton, Md. SMHC is less than a fifteen minute drive from Andrews and has fully staffed delivery suites coupled with state-of-the-art equipment.
Captain Wright was the first physician to execute this new arrangement between MGMC and SMHC. She was on call Feb. 2 when Amy Dolan went into labor. Mrs. Dolan is the wife of Master Sgt. Ryan Dolan, a U.S. Air Force Band "Singing Sergeant." Instead of reporting to MGMC, Captain Wright was at SMHC where a suite was prepared for Mrs. Dolan's family. "The facilities there are really wonderful," said Captain Wright. "The nursing and support staff were so warm and accommodating that this has been a fantastic transition."
The cooperative agreement between the 779th MG and SMHC was made official March 18, 2010, during a ceremony attended by Commander of the Joint Task Force, National Capital Region Medical, Vice Adm. John M. Mateczun and 79th Medical Wing Commander Maj. Gen. (Dr.) Gar Graham.
"For over 50 years, Malcolm Grow has been delivering babies," said Col. (Dr.) Rudolph Cachuela, 779th Medical Group commander, during the signing ceremony. "This is the start of another evolutionary chapter in the way we serve patients." Since Baby Dolan's birth in February, 47 children of DoD beneficiaries have been delivered by 779th MG physicians working out of SMHC.
Dr. Francis Chiaramonte, SMHC's president and chairman of the board participated in the signing ceremony as well, linking the services of the 779th MG with his hospital. Doctor Chiaramonte was also linking his past with the future of the hospital he founded, having served in the USAF from 1950-1953. "One thing I learned from the excellent physicians in our armed forces is to focus on procedure," said Doctor Chiaramonte. "When you execute an operation according to procedure, the patient is safer. That, after all, is our primary concern."
General Graham agreed, citing the fact that his unit's core mission remains the health of patients, despite having 1,500 medics spread out over eight facilities in the National Capital Region. "If it seems complex, it's really not," said General Graham. "We're here for our patients and this agreement with SMHC is just another way to give patients the best care we can."
Bringing a wider perspective to the importance of health care, Vice Admiral Mateczun echoed the sentiments of Secretary of Defense Robert Gates; "There is no higher priority, aside from war itself, than bringing the best possible care to our people."