DVIDS – News – SECNAV Visits Branch Health Clinic Everett David R. Ray Clinic

Everett’s clinic, the namesake of the Naval Medical Readiness Training Command, has a gravity that is immediately noticeable to all staff, patients and visitors who enter the military treatment facility’s quarterdeck.

Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro was drawn to the sacred memorial of hospitalist David R. Ray, who was killed in action during the Vietnam War on March 19, 1969 near Phu Loc 6. He is a posthumous recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor. An Hoa, Quang Nam Province, Vietnam.

“Great Americans. Folks,” Secretary del Toro said, acknowledging that Ray and other Naval Medical Congressional Medal of Honor recipients were formally displayed on the quarterdeck before meeting with appointed staff and meeting with appointed staff. Feb. 14, 2024, after admitting to inspecting a clinic during a visit to Naval Base Everett.

This visit to the clinic provided Secretary Del Toro with the opportunity to meet and greet several of the approximately 80 employees from the Navy Dental Corps, Hospital Corps, Medical Corps, Medical Services Corps, Nursing Corps, and Civilian Corps personnel. became.

There was a frank discussion about the services the clinic provides, including primary care, immunizations, and behavioral health, and the need to leverage networks for highly specialized care. Current challenges were considered, including the continued need for mental health professionals, which has been identified as a national shortage problem.

“Here, if you need primary care, it takes less than a day of active access. Access to active specialty care is almost 14 days, but for behavioral health it can be almost double that. “There is a sexual nature,” the commander explained. Michael Bowers, NMRTU Everett Officer;

According to the National Council of Mental Wellbeing, the average wait time to access behavioral health services is about six weeks. Parent headquarters Bremerton Naval Hospital has begun holding walk-in office hours every Thursday morning for active duty Behavioral Health Services employees.

Secretary del Toro also took time to frankly share his heartfelt feelings with those he met.

“If it weren’t for all you do for our caretakers, our sailors, our Marines, and their families…thank you just wouldn’t be enough,” Del Toro said. “I care about you all so much that in honor of all of our caretakers, I named the ship the USNS Bethesda-class Expeditionary Medical Ship. Next up is the USNS Balboa. You. Because you deserve it.”

Secretary del Toro grilled his staff about where they were born, where they went to school, and/or how long they served in the Navy.

“Show me a place where a dentist in the private sector can have as much fun as serving in the Navy,” Secretary del Toro asked Lt. Ryan Dull, director of dentistry.

“That’s right,” replied Mr. Dull, who served on both sides of the Pacific. “We were stationed in Okinawa before coming here. It was a great experience.”

Branch Health Clinic Everett averages (approximately) 350 primary care visits, 125 dental appointments, 75 physical therapy treatments, 50 mental health calls, 40 occupational health calls, and 55 optometry calls per week. visits and have filled approximately 400 prescriptions.

“The majority of the people we meet are active duty. But we also provide care for families and retirees up to age 65, especially in our pharmacy,” Bowers added.

Secretary del Toro stressed that “it’s very important to take care of yourself in the right way.”

Prince Carlos del Toro was sworn in as the 78th Secretary of the Navy on August 9, 2021, and is responsible for more than 900,000 sailors, Marines, reservists, and civilians.

One of his stated priorities is to strengthen the Navy’s culture of inclusivity and respect.

The approximately 80 staff assigned to the NMRTU Everett David R. Ray Clinic are proof of that.