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Commanders and chiefs from the 65th Air Base Wing visited the new hospital in nearby Angra June 25 to thank staff members of Hospital de Santo Espírito da Ilha Terceira for the medical treatment they provide to Lajes' Airmen and families. (Photo by Guido Melo)
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Wing leaders visit Angra's new hospital
Posted 6/28/2012 Updated 6/28/2012
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by Staff Sgt. Erica Horner
65th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
6/28/2012 - LAJES FIELD, Azores -- Due to the lack of emergency services on Lajes Field, many Lajes Field personnel and family members find themselves traveling off base to receive medical treatment. So, when the new, state-of-the-art hospital in nearby Angra opened, wing leadership took time to visit the hospital June 25 to get an idea of the quality of care that their Airmen receive off base.
The building and hospital staff were impressive, said Capt. Ricky Silvis of the 65th Medical Support Squadron. Silvis is the Tricare Operations and Patient Administration flight commander and oversees outpatient care.
"This facility is immaculate, and you might not think that being aesthetically pleasing is important, but it does make people feel better about the care they are receiving," he said.
When Airmen visit the hospital, it's important to note that the European standard of care one receives may seem different than in the United States. However, care is still top-notch, professional care, according to Silvis.
"The standard of care has always been the same; the Portuguese medical staff provide outstanding care," he said. "There is great medical support here on the island that we can't provide on base."
While many Lajes members prefer to receive medical treatment on base, the reality is that some conditions or situations are better treated off base.
"We definitely rely on (the Angra hospital) because we don't have emergency services on base," said Silvis. "A lot of services - such as any type of surgeries we can't do here - make it important that we partner with them."
Overall, the visit to the Angra hospital was about awareness and communicating to Lajes Airmen and families that off base medical care is acceptable and sometimes necessary.
"We want to give people a better feeling about the kind of care that they are going to receive downtown," said Silvis. |
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