Navy Medical Center San Diego Is Doing Great Things

Barbara and Pam planned a wonderful day trip for a group of Newcomers to the Navy Medical Center in San Diego. The hospital sits on 80+acres in Florida Canyon, part of Balboa Park. (there are also 10 clinics in San Diego County, for those that are not close to the hospital) I've driven by the hospital dozens of times and never thought much about what was going on inside. You'll be surprised. First of all, more that 250,000 San Diego residents are eligible for care at NMCSD, with nearly 100,000 beneficiaries enrolled. Active, reserve and retired men and women, and their families, are eligible for treatment at this facility. The staff is comprised of more than 6,5000 military, civilian, contractor and volunteer personnel. In addition to being recognized as an amputee center of excellence, the hospital has achieved national acclaim for many of its critical and research programs. The hospital has 272 beds which can be expanded to 500 beds. 18 operating rooms, 10 dental clinics (for active duty), 200 seat chapel, 2 libraries, helicopter landing pad for medevacs, and a medical and surgical simulation center are just some of the many things offered at this facility. 10 babies are delivered everyday, and the pharmacy administers 1000 prescriptions each day. The site, which contains 40 buildings, has training for doctors and nurses that will be deployed. They use the Bio Skills Training Center, which is unlike anything I have seen before. Simulated training from everything from taking blood, to removing a gall bladder, to life saving medicine that may be needed in war, is practiced on a simulator. Additionally virtual humans are used for all kinds of practice situations. We watched as a group of about 20 doctors watched a simulated emergency surgery on the foot. The virtual humans give the doctor a chance to practice skills he may need on the battlefield. It was amazing to watch. Then there's the wounded warrior program, where the Naval Hospital is doing wonderful things to help military men and women with life threatening injuries to live normal lives. The progress in prosthetics is so rapid, improving so quickly, that men and women that a few years ago might not have even lived, are now walking! Research is also done at this facility, and shared with UCSD and other hospitals in the area. Learning about this amazing hospital, right in our own backyard, was an eye opener. Learning about the training that our men and women receive before they are deployed tells me why we have the best military in the world. They are highly skilled, both physically and mentally, and if soldiers are injured, they receive the best care both on the battlefield and at home. They deserve that. We are grateful for their service and understand their sacrifice, and should make sure that every man and woman coming home from war has access to the kind of medical care they are getting at Naval Hospital of San Diego.