Providing Well Child Care for Military Families: What Every Provider Needs to Consider

Abstract

<P>Today, parents of approximately 1.2 million children serve in the United States active military, and three quarters of a million are in the Ready Reserve and National Guard. These children are provided universal access to the military health insurance, Tricare. In order to allow for choice and mobility, military children can be cared for in military facilities or through the civilian community. As more military providers are needed to serve in operational roles and with the “right-sizing” of the 21st century U.S. military, there is increasing demand for civilian providers to care for these children. No single state has been untouched by the recent conflicts. Increasingly, both military and civilian child health providers are working with temporarily displaced families during deployment as well as helping to cope with “after effects” of post-deployment stressors. Although military child health providers have the perspective of being a part of the community, some families, by choice or necessity, will see providers who lack that first-hand experience.</P> <H4>ABOUT THE AUTHOR</H4> <P>Carol L. Budzik, MD, is Lieutenant, Medical Corps, U.S. Navy, and Pediatric Chief Resident, Naval Medical Center, San Diego, California.</P> <P>Address correspondence to: Carol L. Budzik, MD, Naval Medical Center San Diego, 34520 Bob Wilson Drive Suite 100, San Diego, CA 92134. </P> <P>Dr. Budzik has disclosed no relevant financial relationships.</P> <P>The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Navy, Department of Defense, nor the U.S. Government.</P> <P>The author would like to thank Captain Gregory Blaschke, Medical Corps, U.S. Navy, Commander Christine Johnson, Medical Corps, U.S. Navy, and Commander Jacqueline Rychnovsky, Nurse Corps, U.S. Navy, for their review of this article.</P>