Making the cut: MCAHC surgical team

From repairing torn rotator cuffs and laparoscopic procedures to tonsillectomies and laser refraction surgeries, McDonald Army Health Center Surgical Services at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, work to heal patients on a daily basis.

Surgical Services at MCAHC provide a two-room surgical suite, serving seven specialties. It is an outpatient ambulatory setting, supporting surgeries from clinics such as orthopedic, podiatry, gynecology, gastroenterology and ophthalmology.

Though outsiders may think scheduling and performing approximately 160 procedures monthly has the potential to raise chaos, procedures at MCAHC are scheduled based on a template schedule shared throughout the clinics to ensure continuity, proper planning and preparation takes place.

“Each of those clinics has specific days that they are assigned for the operating room, so knowing what day each week they perform surgeries allows them to also plan out their clinic schedules as well,” said U.S. Army Maj. Mari Groebner, MCAHC peri-operative services chief. “For example on Mondays we do ear, nose and throat procedures in one room and ophthalmology operations in another room.”

Surgeons and medical professionals from each specialty clinic perform surgeries with support provided by rotating operating room nurses who support both, same day surgeries and the post anesthesia care unit. Nurses are responsible for providing professional nursing care to patients undergoing surgery such as bringing patients in, processing and double-checking all paperwork, ensuring their family members have all necessary information for care, and taking care of any needs of the patients before and after surgery.

“The nurses play a vital role in taking care of the patients from every specialty,” said Dr. William Collins, MCAHC podiatrist. “We rely on them a lot to treat our Soldiers like family.”

For Groebner, being able to provide surgical services on the installation plays a vital role in overall Soldier readiness and ensures they have the best opportunity to return to duty in a timely manner.

“One of the benefits of being able to perform surgeries here on the installation is improving access to care instead of having to travel throughout the Hampton Roads area for care,” said Groebner.  “It is also a benefit for our Soldier readiness. Our Soldiers are being taken care of here and returning back to the work force and allowing them to train and be ready for any situation that arises.”