Military Health Care: Clinical Quality Management in Operational Settings Like Field Hospitals , July 13 , 2026
Military Health Care: Clinical Quality Management in Operational Settings Like Field Hospitals , July 13 , 2026
From the report: “In 2023, the Department of Defense (DOD) directed the military departments— Army, Navy, and Air Force—to update their policies on clinical quality management to align with Defense Health Agency (DHA) procedures to ensure high-quality care in operational settings. In December 2024, GAO reported that the military departments had not yet issued policies, specifically on provider credentialing and privileging, and recommended that they do so. As of March 2026, GAO found that Army and Air Force had not issued updated policies, while Navy issued several policies on aspects of clinical quality management.
GAO maintains that the military departments’ updates to these policies will facilitate a more consistent approach to clinical quality in operational settings. These updates may require more time, as the military departments incorporate additional changes resulting from DOD’s October 2025 implementation of a universal provider privileging program (i.e., the process of reviewing a provider’s qualifications and granting permission to deliver specific services).”
Authors - Government Accountability Office (GAO)Related Resources
