St. Mary’s honors those who gave their lives in service to our nation
Many people identify Memorial Day with barbeques, parties, and the unofficial start of summer. However, for many, Memorial Day is filled with heavy hearts and the pain of moving on without a loved one. Every day, St. Mary’s strives to honor the sacrifices of all who paid the ultimate price for our freedom and the families that they left behind.
One of the best ways to honor our fallen heroes is to support those who currently serve in our Armed Forces and Veterans. As a healthcare system, we are proud to provide convenient access to top-quality healthcare for all Service Members, past and present, and strive to show our appreciation for their service.
A Quick Note About Veterans
How many Veterans do you know? A study done in 2018 showed only seven percent of U.S. citizens were veterans and less than half a percent were active-duty, according to the Pew Research Center. St. Mary’s realized that although most Americans are vaguely aware of what our military, the number who have actually experienced military service is relatively small. In order to better serve the Veterans in our community, we are committed to educating our providers and staff with Armed Forces history and what being a service member truly entails. Because we want to honor all who serve in our nation’s Armed Forces and create a welcoming environment for Veterans and Active Duty service members, in 2019, St. Mary's Health Care System launched our Military and Veterans (MilVet) Health Program.
About the MilVet Health Program
The foundation of this program is to provide educational training for every member of our staff. This education is vital. After all, how can someone truly understand or appreciate something if they don't know enough about it? During this course our team learns:
- A basic understanding of military culture (including the nuances of various military service branches)
- key illnesses, injuries, and occupational exposures associated with military service and military deployments, focusing on the unique aspects of individual engagement such as the Vietnam War, Operation Desert Storm, etc., and
- the effect of military service and deployments on family members.
Having a better understanding of the environment surrounding a patient's (or loved ones') time of service allows for greater respect and care.
Creating a Welcoming Atmosphere
We also want to provide a friendly and welcoming atmosphere to our service members and families, which brings us to step two of implementing our MilVet Health Program. To assist Veterans in getting the care they need, we made it easier to identify patients who have served.
We have added specific Military/Veteran questions to our registration process, which will be entered into your record in our system. If you are a Veteran or service member, you will be presented with an American flag wristband. Additionally, to show outward appreciation for all our Armed Forces, in our main lobby we have displayed the flags of every branch of our military alongside the American flag.
It can be easy to take for granted the freedoms we have in this country. They were not just given to us but are fought for by brave men and women. St. Mary's is dedicated to serving these honorable individuals as they have served us. This Memorial Day we ask that you take a minute to remember not just our Military and Veterans, but those who gave up their lives in service to this country.
Learn more About St. Mary's Military and Veterans Health Program
You deserve a health care provider who is informed and engaged in learning about you, the whole person, and working with you as a partner. As a member of the military community, your unique experiences, exposures, and work environments are an important part of understanding your overall health and planning your care.