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Brooke Army Medical Center returns to full surgical capability
December 14, 2017 — Brooke Army Medical Center at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston has returned to full surgical capability after implementing a number of initiatives aimed at further improving surgical care... MORE

Spc. Thomas Kaithamattam, BAMC’s Sterile Processing and Distribution division technician, inspects surgical instruments as part of the sterilization process.

Occupational therapist fine tuning skills through AMEDDC&S graduate program
December 11, 2017 — As an Army occupational therapist, Maj. Robin Tennekoon is inspired by the strength, courage and resiliency shown by the service members she provides care for on a daily basis at Brooke Army Medical Center at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston... MORE

Maj. Robin Tennekoon, a graduate student and fellow in the U.S. Army-Baylor University Doctor of Science in Occupational Therapy program at the U.S. Army Medical Department Center & School at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, gives a presentation about an upper extremity orthopedic condition.

Safeguarding against workplace violence
December 7, 2017 — The Department of Defense defines workplace violence as “any act of physical violence, threats of physical violence, harassment, intimidation, bullying, verbal or non-verbal threat, or other threatening disruptive behavior that occurs at or outside the work site.”... MORE

Army Capt. John Arroyo and Army Capt. Katie Ann Blanchard are survivors of separate incidents of workplace violence. Both share their stories to encourage others who are dealing with adversity and the aftermath of violence.

Thanksgiving brings joy to Brooke Army Medical Center patients, staff
December 7, 2017 — Brooke Army Medical Center celebrated Thanksgiving and Warrior Care Month with activities for Warrior Transition Battalion Soldiers, their families, staff, patients and the community... MORE

Brooke Army Medical Center commanding general Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Johnson and Command Sgt. Maj. Diamond Hough help serve Thanksgiving dinner to more than 1,000 guests Nov. 23 in the BAMC Dining Room at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston.

BAMC stresses awareness, education to prevent patient falls
December 1, 2017 — Brooke Army Medical Center at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston is taking pro-active measures to prevent and reduce the number of patient falls at the hospital... MORE

Commentary: In the wake of tragedy, acts of love triumph over hate
November 15, 2017 — I was shocked and horrified when I heard the news about the Sutherland Springs shooting on the TV screen mounted on the wall at the gym. The initial reports were varied and confusing, but there was no doubt that lives had been lost and many injured... MORE

A Brooke Army Medical Center trauma team examines a patient in the emergency department. BAMC received its level I trauma center recertification from the American College of Surgeons.

BAMC trauma chief praises medical response to Sutherland Springs shooting
November 14, 2017 — The community teamwork and medical response the afternoon of the Sutherland Springs shooting was "extremely heartwarming," noted Brooke Army Medical Center 's trauma chief. BAMC received eight victims -- six adults and two minors -- from the mass shooting Nov. 5 in the small community church in Sutherland Springs, about 30 miles east of San Antonio. One adult patient was discharged last week and seven remain in BAMC's care... MORE

Brooke Army Medical Center commanding general Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Johnson addresses members of the media Nov. 6, 2017 during a press conference about the victims of the mass shooting in Sutherland Springs, Texas. As part of the San Antonio trauma system, Brooke Army Medical Center received eight patients -- six adults and two minors.

Army Chief of Staff visits Brooke Army Medical Center
November 13, 2017 — U.S. Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Milley visits with patients and staff at Brooke Army Medical Center in honor of Veterans Day Nov. 11, 2017... MORE

Brooke Army Medical Center Commanding General Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Johnson (right) discusses the BAMC trauma mission with U.S. Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Milley Nov. 11, 2017 as Col. Michael Ludwig, deputy commander for Inpatient Services, looks on. Milley spent Veterans Day visiting with patients and staff at BAMC.

BAMC responds in support of Sutherland Springs shooting
November 6, 2017 — On Nov. 5, a mass shooting occurred at a church in Sutherland Springs, about 30 miles southeast of San Antonio. As part of the San Antonio trauma system, Brooke Army Medical Center at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston received eight patients -- six adults and two minors... MORE

Burn Center offers new pain management approach for patients
November 3, 2017 — Doctors at the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research Burn Center at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston are utilizing a novel method of administering pain medication to burn patients in the burn intensive care unit in hopes to mitigate opioid addiction and other complications associated with burn care... MORE

Pain medication is managed with the placement of an intrathecal catheter exactly like an epidural catheter used for laboring women, except that the catheter resides in the intrathecal space where the cerebrospinal fluid resides instead of the epidural space.

Hand-free device enhances BAMC staff communication, safety
November 3, 2017 — The wireless hands-free integrated communications system, or WHICS, worn by many staff members throughout Brooke Army Medical Center may not be able to teleport them to another location, but it allows a faster, more efficient way for staff members to communicate... MORE

Gina Brown uses the wireless hands-free integrated communications system, or WHIICS, to contact another staff member Nov. 1. The Brooke Army Medical Center Information Management Division implemented the WHICS last October, but the system was fully employed Oct. 5 to allow alarms from patient monitors to automatically contact the appropriate personnel through the device.

BAMC’s adult ECMO program receives national recognition
October 30, 2017 — Brooke Army Medical Center has received national recognition for its lifesaving heart-lung bypass program. BAMC’s adult extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, or ECMO, program has received the Award for Excellence in Life Support from the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization. The recognition designates BAMC as a National ECMO Center of Excellence. ... MORE

Members of the 59th Medical Wing Aeromedical Staging Facility transfer a patient on an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation into a C-17 Globemaster III, Jan. 16, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. ECMO is a heart-lung bypass system that circulates blood through an external artificial lung and sends it back into the patient’s bloodstream.

BAMC Mobile Medics deploy in support of hurricane victims
October 27, 2017 — Two mobile medics from Brooke Army Medical Center and one nurse from Dwight D. Eisenhower Army Medical Center deployed to Puerto Rico to provide virtual health support to the disaster response effort there... MORE

Lt. Col. Jennifer Stowe, an optometrist located at the Brooke Army Medical Center Virtual Medical Center, talks with Sgt. Andrea Bloom Oct. 20 during a synchronous virtual health encounter. The mobile medics connected with Stowe and provided high-definition, synchronous images of a Soldier’s eye using an optical exam camera and web-based video teleconferencing capability.

BAMC receives national recognition for surgical quality
October 26, 2017 — Brooke Army Medical Center at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston was recognized by the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program, or NSQIP, for achieving meritorious outcomes for surgical patient care... MORE

BAMC Warrior Transition Battalion celebrates 10-year anniversary
October 26, 2017 — The Brooke Army Medical Center Warrior Transition Battalion marked its 10-year anniversary Oct. 20 during a celebration at the Liberty Field Barracks at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston... MORE

Brooke Army Medical Center commanding general Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Johnson talks about the accomplishmentss of the Warrior Transition Battalion at the WTB 10-year anniversary celebration at Liberty Field Barracks at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston Oct. 20.

Sailor first in Army Medic 68W Program
October 25, 2017 — Seaman Daniel R. Frink, the first Sailor in the Army’s 68W Utilization Program, was awarded the silver badge by Brooke Army Medical Center Deputy Commanding Officer Col. Traci Crawford at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston Oct. 18... MORE

Naval Health Clinic Corpus Christi Commanding Officer Capt. Miguel A. Cubano (from left), Seaman Daniel R. Frink, Brooke Army Medical Center Deputy Commanding Officer Col. Traci Crawford, and Enlisted Advisor Deputy Commander Inpatient Services Master Sgt. Richard Russell following the presentation of the Army’s 68W Utilization Program silver badge to Frink Oct. 18, 2017. Frink, assigned to NHCCC San Antonio Detachment at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, is the first Sailor in the program.

BAMC hosts Military Retiree Appreciation Day
October 25, 2017 — Brooke Army Medical Center and Joint Base San Antonio hosted the second annual Military Retiree Appreciation Day at the BAMC Medical Mall at JBSA-Fort Sam Houston Oct 14. More than 2,500 military retirees and their families participated to receive health and retiree information, medical checkups, and in some cases, made specialty care follow-up appointments at the event. ... MORE

Registered nurse Gloria Camacho performs a cheek swab on Monica Perez at a bone marrow booth during the Military Retiree Appreciation Day at Brooke Army Medical Center Medical Mall Oct. 14. BAMC had more than 70 specialty care clinics and 40 informational tables consisting of representatives from medical clinics at Fort Sam Houston, organizations and agencies serving veterans and retirees. At the health fair, free flu shots and immunizations and walk-in mammograms were also provided and prescription eyeglasses were ordered for retirees who had less than a year old prescriptions.

Workplace violence survivors unite to turn tragedy into hope
October 23, 2017 — Shortly after 5 p.m. Sept. 7, 2016, Army 1st Lt. Katie Ann Blanchard was shutting down her computer for the day, eager to get home to her three young sons, when she saw him coming out of the corner of her eye. He was holding a plastic bottle filled with a brownish-tinged liquid and she felt a sudden rush of fear. Before she could react, he splashed the liquid on her face and struck a match... MORE

Army Capt. John Arroyo and 1st Lt. Katie Ann Blanchard pose outside of Brooke Army Medical Center on Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston. The officers are both workplace violence survivors hoping to share a story of hope with other service members and civilians.

BAMC celebrates newest NCOs during induction ceremony
October 12, 2017 — Brooke Army Medical Center welcomed its newest non-commissioned officers into the ranks of the professional NCO Corps during a formal induction ceremony held in the auditorium Oct. 4... MORE

Soldiers participate in a non-commissioned officer induction ceremony Oct. 4 at Brooke Army Medical Center. Twenty-seven Soldiers recited the NCO charge led by BAMC Command Sgt. Maj. Diamond Hough before walking through the NCO arch.

New Mobile Medic program part of BAMC’s Virtual Health Initiative
October 3, 2017 — Brooke Army Medical Center launched a new Mobile Medic project at the 232nd Medical Battalion on Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston in mid-September. The project is an initial step for BAMC as the Army’s first virtual medical center... MORE

Mobile Medic Spc. Amanda Knight sets up a video chat with a medical provider while Mobile Medic Spc. Joshua Rath checks Spc. Joao Dos Santos Faustino's vitals during an early morning sick call at the 232d Medical Battalion Sept. 25. A team of mobile medics stationed at the battalion, use a combination of virtual and hands-on health care to triage the Soldiers who report to morning sick call.