Hawaii Market formally established to better serve military service members and families

By

Nicole Pasia

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Oahu’s Military Treatment Facilities (MFTs), which serve up to 152,000 eligible beneficiaries, will now operate as the new Hawaii Market. Dr. Brian Lein, assistant director for health care administration for the Defense Health Agency (DHA), and Hawaii market director, Col. Martin Doperak, hosted a ceremony at Tripler Army Medical Center last week to formally announce the move towards a more robust health care system for service members and their families.

 

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A market consists of hospitals and clinics that collaborate to serve a geographical area as a system — sharing patients, staff, budget, and operations. The Hawaii Market, which consists of Tripler Army Medical Center, Naval Health Clinic Hawaii, Desmond T. Doss Health Clinic, and 15th Medical Group, collaborates with Veterans Affairs hospitals, the global military health program TRICARE, and other health partners.  

Doperak highlighted the benefits that will come from the transition: 

“Military Treatment Facilities across Oahu have a long history of working together to provide safe and reliable healthcare for our beneficiaries. By creating the Hawaii Market, we are further integrating our MTF’s to better serve our service members and their families by increasing access to healthcare across the island.  At the same time, this integration will provide opportunities to increase readiness across all the services, and to ultimately improve the health of our communities on Oahu.”

The Hawaii Market has served its beneficiaries since 2013. The market’s MFTs provided a range of health services, including emergency and primary care, physical therapy, active duty dental care, and behavioral health services. 

The Military Health System began transitioning administration and management of its MFTs to the DHA as part of the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act. Hawaii’s market approach is one of six Enhanced Multi-Service Markets (eMSMs) in the country. Although the COVID-19 pandemic halted transition efforts in 2020, the DHA established the market on July 26, 2021.