Transformation of the USPHS Commissioned Corps

1
Transformation of the USPHS Commissioned Corps

• Reasons and Direction

2
July 3, 2003 - Secretary Tommy Thompson Announced
His Vision

• Enable the Corps to respond more quickly and
  effectively to public health emergencies
• Better address pressing public health needs

3
The Proposed Mission of the Commissioned Corps of
the U.S. Public Health Service

• "Protecting, promoting, and advancing the health
  and safety of the Nation.
• As America's uniformed service of public
  health professionals, the Commissioned Corps
  achieves this mission through
• rapid and effective response to public health
  needs
• leadership excellence in public health practices,
  and
• the advancement of public health science.

4
Transformation will Take Advantage of Commission
Corps

• Unique qualities
• Professionally Trained Health Experts
• Dedicated to Protecting Health
• On Duty 24/7
• Mobile
• Unique capabilities
• Respond When Needed
• Respond Where Needed
• Provide Comprehensive Public Health Services

5
Why Enable the Corps to Respond?

• DHHS Primary Coordinator for National Response
  Plan (NRP) Emergency Support Function 8 Public
  Health and Medical Services Annex
• Catastrophic Incident Annex to NRP

6
Why Enable the Corps to Respond?

• Worse case, could require over 20,000 public
  health experts and direct care providers
• Active Duty Commissioned Corps
• Inactive Reserve Commissioned Corps
• Ready Reserve
• Civil Service Medical Ready Reserve

7
Broad Range of Public Health Issues and Needs

• Improve and expand the presence of officers
  within all existing functions and programs
• Requires epidemiologists, scientists, engineers,
  environmental health officers, veterinaries and
  other related public health professionals
• Expansion envisioned for clinical practitioners
  in IHS, HRSA, and perhaps other organizations

8
Progress To Date

• Lewin Group
• Focus Groups of various stakeholders
• Draft report of observations
• Transformation Working Group
• Develop various Secretarial policy options Big
  Picture
• Implementation must be a mutually supportive
  management relationship between agencies and the
  Commissioned Corps

9
Why Secretarial Policies Now?

• To provide additional direction beyond July 2003
  vision announcement
• To provide the resources to plan, communicate,
  and implement transformation
• To permit the collection of information and data
  to develop a implementation plan

10
Transformation Is About

• Assure we can respond to Nations emerging and
  emergency public health needs
• Expanding the Corps
• Clearly defining the Corps Mission
• Expanding opportunities for officers
• Assuring officers obtain basic training and
  formalized career development

11
Transformation Has Only Begun

• After the Secretary has selected which options to
  implement
• Implementation Workgroups
• Professional Advisory Committees Involvement
• Chief Professional Officers Involvement
• Agencies Involvement
• Detailed implementation plan