Photo By Christopher Jones | Sailors and staff at Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command (NMRTC) Twentynine...... read more read more
On March 14, Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command (NMRTC) Twentynine Palms held its 10th Annual Process Improvement (PI) Fair, a showcase of innovative projects aimed at enhancing patient care, streamlining operations, and improving overall hospital efficiency. The event highlighted the hospital’s commitment to continuous improvement and the ingenuity of its Sailors and civilian staff.
“This year’s fair maintained a strong focus on quality of care, patient safety, and operational efficiency,” said Tanya Stuckey, Public Health Specialist and Improvement Science Lead for the event. “These efforts are critical to ensuring we are always moving forward in how we provide care and manage resources.”
The fair featured 15 projects spanning multiple departments and clinics, some of which including Emergency Medicine, Materials Management (MATMAN), Maternal Infant Nursing Department (MIND), Branch Health Clinic (BHC) Bridgeport, Primary Care, Adult Medical Care Center, Mental Health, Orthopedics, Immunizations, and Interactive Customer Evaluation. Standout topics included streamlining administrative workflows, patient feedback and satisfaction, expansion of preventive care services, and logistics management.
Judging was conducted by a panel consisting of a naval officer, a senior enlisted Sailor, and a civilian staff member. Projects were evaluated based on criteria such as safety, critical to quality, patient satisfaction, strategic goal alignment, cost savings or avoidance, and contributions to improving medical readiness.
Top Three Winning Projects
1. MATMAN - Transforming Our Warehouse – Focused on repurposing warehouse space, optimizing storage, and redistributing unused supplies.
2. BHC Bridgeport – Optimizing PHA – Streamlined the Periodic Health Assessment (PHA) process to improve efficiency and ensure medical readiness.
3. MIND – Supply Management – Implemented new supply chain strategies to enhance accountability and reduce waste.
The first-place project, “MATMAN - Transforming Our Warehouse,” was spearheaded by Lt. Angela Swint, Department Head of Materiel Management, and Lt. Kino Anderson COR and Acquisitions Division Officer. Their team tackled inefficiencies in the hospital’s warehouse, which had become a storage area for unused medical supplies. Under the leadership of Logistics Specialist 1st Class Cassandra Huff and Culinary Specialist 2nd Class Cameron Spears, the project team of Logistic Specialist Seaman Tamia Walzer, Logistic Specialist Seaman Nathan Chao, and Logistic Specialist Seaman Apprentice Shakeela Holloway dedicated 320 manhours to reorganizing and optimizing storage. Their efforts included hosting the hospital’s first-ever Swap Meet, redistributing $23,000 worth of medical supplies across the command, preparing 24 pallets for disposition, and disposing of 1,200 pounds of sensitive documents.
“One of the most common complaints in a hospital our size is that no one has enough space,” said Swint. “By clearing out the warehouse of unused items, we can now make it a space that all departments can use. If a department or program needs additional storage, we will be able to assign them a rack for their use. This provides anyone who needs it a satellite space they can call their own.”
Reflecting on placing first at the PI Fair, Spears praised the selfless contributions and commitment of his shipmates to achieve their mission.
“We are honored to have been recognized as the winners of the project fair. This achievement is a reflection of the dedication, collaboration, and countless hours of hard work that went into completing the warehouse project,” said Spears. “Every member of the team brought their unique skills and commitment to ensuring that the project met the highest standards. This success is not just about the outcome but about the journey we took together, overcoming challenges and staying focused on our goal. We are grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the hospital’s mission and look forward to continuing to support its important work.”
NMRTC Twentynine Palms’ Commanding Officer, Capt. Daniel Clark, commended the initiative and dedication of participants.
“These projects represented ideas and initiatives across the spectrum of running a hospital – patient safety, patient education, supply management, and medical readiness,” Capt. Clark said. “It really highlighted deckplate work and accomplishment. None of the projects were dictated by the command suite. They were the result of junior enlisted and officers taking ownership of their space and looking for ways to elevate the excellent care and service they already provide.”
The PI Fair was not just an opportunity to showcase projects but also a mechanism for cultivating a culture of innovation within Navy Medicine.
“The profession of medicine is in a constant state of improvement, all the time. In our profession, when you stagnate, it ultimately puts our patients at risk,” said Capt. Clark. “Learning how to look at processes and actions through a lens of continuous improvement is how we as Navy Medicine stay at the forefront of science, technology, and innovation. These fairs provide a mechanism to practice this effort and spur ideas across work centers. This is the basis of appreciative inquiry. PI Fairs are essentially a learning laboratory for innovation, performance, and continuous learning. I couldn’t be more proud of the effort and work by these Sailors!”
The event’s success was marked not only by strong participation but also by engagement from leadership and the execution of sustainable improvements across departments. Organizers plan to build on this year’s achievements and continue fostering a culture of proactive problem-solving at NMRTC Twentynine Palms.
As Navy Medicine continues evolving, events like the Process Improvement Fair reinforce the Navy’s commitment to enhancing patient care, maximizing operational efficiency, and maintaining medical readiness in an ever-changing landscape.
| Date Taken: | 03.21.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 03.21.2025 13:50 |
| Story ID: | 493453 |
| Location: | TWENTYNINE PALMS, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 237 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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