FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. – (CLARKSVILLENOW) Blanchfield Army Community Hospital will host a change of command ceremony on the hospital’s A building front lawn at 10 a.m. June 15. Promotable Col. Telita Crosland will relinquish command to Col. Anthony L. McQueen, who most recently served as the commander of the 402nd Army Field Support Brigade, U.S. Army Pacific, Fort Shafter, Hawaii.

Crosland led the hospital and medical department activities at Fort Campbell for two years and will now serve as the deputy chief of staff for operations (G-3/5/7) for the Office of the Surgeon General and the U.S. Army Medical Command.

During Crosland’s tenure, the hospital spearheaded numerous innovative programs and boosted the Fort Campbell community’s access to care. She was instrumental in supporting Army Medicine’s mission to expand Virtual Health capacities, not only at Blanchfield but also with deploying units from Fort Campbell. Army Medicine’s virtual health program has aggressively worked to expand capabilities for medical readiness for Soldiers fighting the nation’s battles on foreign soil, while also increasing access for family members back home.

“It’s been my honor serving as the MEDDAC commander and working closely with local communities,” said Crosland. “When you get to go into work and are teamed beside talented individuals who care and love what they do for a living, and then expand on their talents to support and meet the demands of today’s medical missions, it is definitely a rewarding experience.”

During her command, the medical team underwent a Joint Commission Survey accreditation and continues to excel in patient safety and team communication to serve the more than 70,000 beneficiaries enrolled in primary care services to the organization. Crosland focused on supporting the Army’s readiness mission, while also emphasizing patient safety and teambuilding among her staff.

“Patient safety is the bedrock of healthcare systems, and we are passionate about delivering safe quality care to our community,” Crosland said.

Most recently, she devoted three days of unscheduled surgical cases to offer Team Strategies and Tools to Enhance Performance and Patient Safety training to BACH’s surgical teams. TeamSTEPPS offers team strategies and tools to enhance performance and patient safety. This train-the-trainer program allows BACH surgical teams to continue the practices learned across the organization during every surgical case, optimizing patient safety from beginning to the end of each case.

Crosland said she takes pride in her and her family receiving medical care within the military health system. “The healthcare mission is complex and we must always ensure the population we serve is getting the best medical care available today. We owe it to our community who on a daily basis sacrifice for our country. We are privileged to serve the most deserving.”

Crosland facilitated BACH’s development of virtual health capabilities in conjunction with Regional Health Command – Atlantic and Eisenhower Medical Center in Augusta, Georgia. This program expanded with great success and continued to grow after garnering positive data and feedback from patients. Army virtual health now provides clinical services across 18 time zones in over 30 countries and territories.

“I could not have hoped for a better command in support of a better community. I am grateful for having had the opportunity to serve at Fort Campbell alongside many incredible individuals in and out of uniform. I want to thank the community partners, Hopkinsville, Clarksville, Fort Campbell and the extended communities, in the support you provide to our medical team, Fort Campbell and the Soldiers and families of the 101st Airborne Division and Fort Campbell. And, I want to thank my phenomenal MEDDAC team.

I leave you all in very capable hands as Col. McQueen has proven his leadership capabilities across Army Medicine and is excited to command the medical assets that support the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) and Fort Campbell.”

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