Filling the gaps in the COVID-19 pandemic response: medical personnel in the US military health system

Abstract

Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic was an unprecedented public health emergency that heavily affected the healthcare workforce. Although the Military Health System (MHS) has robust capabilities and was able to deploy medical staff to support civilian hospitals during the crisis, it too was adversely impacted by personnel issues. We aimed to identify and address gaps in understanding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare personnel in the MHS. Methods We conducted semi-structured key informant interviews with 28 MHS stakeholders, including policymakers, program managers, and healthcare providers. We recruited respondents using purposive and snowball sampling until we reached thematic saturation. Interviews were conducted virtually from December 2022 to March 2023 and coded by deductive thematic analysis using NVivo. Results Burnout and mental health concerns across the workforce increased during the pandemic, although some felt military culture facilitated resilience. Reduction in personnel was noted and slow hiring processes and noncompetitive wages hindered hiring, contributing to staffing shortages. Initial disruptions occurred in training and skills readiness, although these issues were reduced over time. Concerns remain about newer trainees’ preparedness and teaching staff’s availability in the MHS. Conclusion This study uniquely assessed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic response on the MHS healthcare workforce through in-depth key informant interviews. Multi-pronged strategies are needed to promote personnel well-being in complex healthcare systems like the MHS.

Keywords

• Military health system
• Medical personnel
• Burnout
• COVID-19 pandemic