Bremerton Naval Hospital The shortages reflect broader failures in the military health system
“The DHA has repeatedly ordered the hospital hospital to reduce critical staff and medical care, which has been devastating for our soldiers,” said Senator Murray.
Severe medical endowment shortages at the Bremerton Naval Hospital left thousands of soldiers and their families without access to health care based in one of the country’s largest naval facilities.
During the budget hearing of the Senate Credit Committee on Tuesday, Senator Patty Murray (D -Wash.) Held senior Navy officials on repeated endowment reductions commanded by the Defense Health Agency (DHA) at Naval Base Kitsap – Hinging more than 15,000 members of the active service and 18,000 family members and retirees.
The Hospital’s internal medicine department currently does not have doctors for more than 2,000 patients. Without immediate plans to fill the vacancies, the Defense Health Agency directed patients to the Madigan Army Medical Center nearby at Léwis-McChord.
“Since 2022, the Defense Health Agency has repeatedly ordered the base hospital to reduce critical staff and medical care – which has been devastating for our soldiers and their families access to health care. Instead of hiring anyone, the DHA forces patients to travel more than an hour, by a good day, in each direction. It is simply unacceptable, ”said Murray.
The secretary of the navy, John Phelan, who has been running in military facilities since his entry into office, has recognized generalized problems through force, including an inadequate medical infrastructure.
“As you know, I have visited a number of different installations, and some of the barracks in some of the conditions of medical facilities, we have problems with most of them. On the specific one, I will have to come back and get more details. What I will do,” said Phelan.
Murray has repeatedly raised concerns concerning current deficits and reduced services at the Bremerton Naval Hospital, who forced hundreds of patients to wonder about medical care.
In February 2025, the Hospital Internal Medicine Service operated with a single doctor for 2,200 patients. This doctor has since left – around 700 retirees and veterans have since been transferred to civilian medical facilities in the county of Kitsap.
“Patient reallocation to new suppliers has significant challenges, including disturbances in the continuity of care that have led to shortcomings in treatment and a potential decrease in patient results. letter To the action of the director of the DHA, David Smith, in March.
The acting chief of naval operations ADM. James Kilby echoes Murray’s concerns, recognizing that there are “challenges with the DHA at all levels”.
“I agree with your evaluation. And we work, like all other services, to make sure that we provide the best health care that we can for our soldiers and families, ”said Kilby.
Bremerton Naval Hospital said they lost all internal medical medical doctors in active service, mainly due to retirement and permanent resort change orders, but these routine military processes cannot explain chronic shortages of the hospital, according to Murray. She said that not solving the problem in established allocation systems “raises serious concerns as to whether the DHA can remedy it in a timely manner”.
The crisis of the Bremerton Naval Hospital, however, reflects broader challenges in the military health system. Since the DHA has assumed the management of all military treatment establishments, the basics of the country have reported shortages of doctors and nurses, longer waiting times for care and increasing dependence on civil providers.
The situation in Bremerton has worsened in recent years. In 2021, the hospital emergency service was demoted to an urgent care clinic. In 2023, the Ministry of Health and Social Services appointed the County of Kitsap as a “health shortage zone” and at high risk “. By 2024, the hospital had trouble giving access to primary care, mental health services and maternal health.
“This is a preparation problem. This is a retention problem. It is personal for these families. So please, if you could answer me the measures we are going to take to resolve this problem,” said Murray.
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