Photo By Timothy R Jensen | YOKOSUKA, Japan (Jan. 31, 2017) - Rear Adm. Michiya Sato, Surgeon General, Japan...... read more read more
YOKOSUKA, Japan – U.S. Naval Hospital (USNH) Yokosuka welcomed aboard Surgeon General, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), Rear Adm. Michiya Sato as a part of a brief visit to the facility to observe a static display of the Pacific's Expeditionary Resuscitative Surgery System (ERSS) system, Jan. 31.
USNH Yokosuka Commanding Officer, Capt. Rosemary C. Malone, greeted the admiral prior to walking him over to the display, which was staged inside the hospital’s Materials Management department.
Sato, a native of Sendai, Japan, holds a Ph. D. in Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery. He has served as JMSDF surgeon general since August of 2014. Also joining the visit with Sato was U.S. 7th Fleet Surgeon, Capt. Melanie Merrick.
ERSS consists of a three-module system; an Expeditionary Trauma Team (ETT), Expeditionary Surgical Team (EST), and En route Care Team (ECT). ERSS allows an expeditionary strike group or amphibious readiness group to support fleet operations which includes disaggregate missions, while maintaining immediate surgical response.
“Having the admiral on board was an honor,” said Cmdr. Shawn Harris, USNH Yokosuka ERSS-Pacific Officer-in-Charge. “I was pretty excited to be able to show our capabilities to our host nation counterparts. I believe that this is a key component to maintaining the special relationship that we have with them.”
Harris discussed the ERSS’s mission, its capabilities and its ability to rapidly deploy across the pacific within a 48-hour notice as well as being fully operational within 96-hours of activation.
Items in the space provided a real-time feel for the kind of atmosphere that one would face; the system is designed to provide a tailored, mission-specific medical capability close to the point of injury, which supports a range of military operations afloat and ashore.
“My role on the team is to make sure that supplies and equipment are ready to work,” said Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Stephen Matthews, a surgical technician team member. “Each of us are broken into our three respective categories and since we are such a small team, it’s vital to us that all of our gear is ready at a moments’ notice. Expired consumables are replaced or re-ordered and since this equipment is not activated often or used frequently, we have to constantly test and ensure that it is in good working order.”
This is evident most to the surgeon of the team, which depends upon the tech’s to provide support while he or she is treating a patient.
“Each member of our team has a particular skill set that supports this mission and enables the capabilities of the ERSS,” said USNH Yokosuka General Surgeon, Lt. Cmdr. Daniel McMahon. “To successfully execute this medical and surgical capability it is of utmost importance that each member of the team focuses on their area of expertise which facilitates a systematic and dogmatic approach in caring for a traumatically injured patient.”
Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Brianna Towns was one of the team members’ helping Harris during the event.
“I was glad I was given this opportunity just to see the diverseness of how surgical tech could be because before my experience was in the hospital and there you are given so many luxuries as depending on where you are – for example in San Diego you get a turnover crew and in hospital Yokosuka you have a dedicated OR, you have so much space, you can have so many items but hear you have to focus and it gives certain challenges while helping improving your skills.”
USNH Yokosuka is the largest U.S. military treatment facility on mainland Japan. The hospital serves a beneficiary population of approximately 43, 000 active duty personnel, family members, civilian employees, contract personnel and retirees.
| Date Taken: | 01.31.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 02.02.2017 21:07 |
| Story ID: | 222386 |
| Location: | YOKOSUKA, KANAGAWA, JP |
| Web Views: | 363 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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