NCDMPH Hosts Inaugural Council of Chief Medical Officers Meeting to Strengthen Nation’s Medical Readiness
USU's NCDMPH convenes top medical leaders to enhance military-civilian healthcare collaboration for wartime medical readiness.
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Dr. Michael Anderson, co-chair of the Council of Chief Medical Officers, talks to CCMO meeting attendees about the challenges of delivering timely and effective medical care in high-intensity combat situations. (Photo by David Arthur, HJF) |
March 20, 2025 by Sharon Holland
The Uniformed Services University’s (USU) National Center for Disaster Medicine and Public Health (NCDMPH) recently hosted the inaugural meeting of the Council of Chief Medical Officers (CCMO), bringing together Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) from top academic medical centers, leading medical associations, and senior leaders from both civilian and military health sectors.
Key representatives from the Joint Staff, U.S. Northern Command, Department of Homeland Defense, and the Department of Health and Human Services were also in attendance. The meeting focused on the complex challenges of providing timely and effective medical care to injured service members in large-scale combat situations, reinforcing the need for stronger collaboration between military and civilian healthcare systems.
"The Council of Chief Medical Officers brings an invaluable resource to our planning for a large influx of wounded military service members," said Dr. Michael Zanker, co-chair of the Council and NCDMPH deputy director. "The Council highlighted challenges in the civilian sector that we need to overcome to streamline patient flow, minimize roadblocks to patient regulation, and enable our ability to provide the highest level of care to our warfighters."
A primary focus of the meeting was the discussion of initiatives aimed at strengthening the nation’s ability to provide comprehensive medical support during wartime. Key initiatives included the National Disaster Medical System Pilot program, which seeks to better integrate military and civilian medical resources, and the Department of Defense’s (DoD) Integrated CONUS Medical Operations Plan, designed to streamline medical operations within the continental U.S. to ensure seamless care for wounded warriors.
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| USU President Dr. Jonathan Woodson, center right, delivers opening remarks to attendees at the recent Council of Chief Medical Officers meeting, hosted by USU's National Center for Disaster Medicine and Public Health. (Photo by David Arthur, HJF) |
The CMOs also raised several challenges from the civilian healthcare sector affecting surge capacity, such as staffing shortages, regulatory hurdles, supply chain issues, and regional communication difficulties. These challenges and initial operational ideas will lay the groundwork for the future work of the Council.
“The motivation for establishing the council was to help the Department of Defense better understand the capacity and limits of the civilian health sector in supporting a wartime mission, while also informing what more the federal government could do to enable the civilian sector to provide even more capacity in the future,” according to NCDMPH Director Dr. Jeff Freeman.
The inaugural meeting set the stage for ongoing collaboration, with the CCMO positioned to play a key role in advancing innovative strategies and policies to improve medical readiness. By fostering partnerships across military, government, and civilian healthcare sectors, the CCMO will drive improvements in medical preparedness and response, ensuring the nation remains ready to support its warfighters in times of crisis.
"The launch of the CMO Council marks a pivotal step forward in strengthening our nation’s medical readiness," said Dr. Michael Anderson, CCMO co-chair. "The collective wisdom, experience, and insights shared in our inaugural meeting reaffirm the power of collaboration in shaping the future of disaster preparedness and response. Together, we are building a stronger, more resilient healthcare system."
