Osan prepares for MHS Genesis Go-Live

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Zachariah Lopez
  • 51st Fighter Wing Public Affairs
OSAN AIR FORCE BASE, Republic of Korea --  Service members, their families and retirees can anticipate a single electronic health record that is not only more efficient, but also user-friendly, modernized and better-connected with external entities like the Department of Veterans Affairs and civilian institutions.

“Our overall readiness will be significantly improved by serving our patients with faster and more efficient patient care,” said Maj. Changinn Kim, 51st Medical Group diagnostics and therapeutics flight commander. “This change will allow us to depict accurate data about the patient which leads to better patient care and lead to better health outcomes.”

As of July 2023, the deployment of MHS Genesis is nearly 86% complete worldwide, according to health.mil, with only the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command theater in the Department of Defense remaining for transition. Fortunately, this provides an opportunity for the 51st MDG to benefit from the lessons learned and best practices from other locations. While it may not eliminate all challenges, it enables the medical team to proactively and diligently prepare as much as possible for a smoother transition.

“With any change, there will inevitably be challenges and lessons we learn along the way,” said Lt. Col. Philip Flatau, 51st MDG deputy commander. “This will likely result in longer appointment times, reduced appointment availability and increased wait times at pharmacy, lab and radiology, which will last a few months.”

To prepare for the transition and avoid hold-ups, individuals are encouraged to schedule appointments prior to the change and speak with their providers about extending existing prescriptions to last throughout the transition period.

“When done in the correct manner, the long-term gain of the system will outweigh the short-term transition challenges,” said Flatau.

In the past, DOD’s medical providers faced significant challenges as they had to depend on up to five separate systems simultaneously to deliver care. MHS Genesis will simplify healthcare for providers by consolidating the need for multiple systems into one comprehensive program, eliminating the need to navigate various separate systems.

“The 51st MDG leadership and all medics are doing everything to make this transition as smooth and safe as possible for our patients,” Flatau said. “The Med Group will continue to push out information through every channel and avenue to prepare the community for this change.”