USMEPCOM Centralizes Medical Oversight with New Office

USMEPCOM officially launched the new Provider Quality Management Program Office (PQMPO) in April, a centralized office under the Command Surgeon office. This transition shifts how USMEPCOM supports its approximately 500 medical providers across 65 MEPS.

With medical documentation now digital across services, standardization is critical. By aligning oversight, policy and implementation under a single office, PQMPO ensures that applicants receive consistent medical evaluations and documentation. Before, two sector medical offices oversaw their respective personnel.

“Our customers are the waiver authorities and initial training sites, as far as who looks at our documentation,” said Dr. Ashley Jackson, PQMPO director. “When they pull up that documentation, it needs to look the same. An applicant should have the same decision, whether they were processed in Hawaii or Alaska.”

PQMPO supports all USMEPCOM providers as they implement rapid policy and technology modernization initiatives. The newly established office not only sets policy but also directly conducts quality assessments and training, creating a feedback loop that improves care and provider performance.

“In terms of standardization, having the policy and action arm within the same span of control facilitates efficient and timely responses,” said Army Col. Megan McKinnon, USMEPCOM command surgeon. “Having a unity of focus lets us accomplish the mission with the resources we have.”

The PQMPO has a broad mandate, including conducting initial and continuous quality assessments of providers, credentialing both government and contract medical providers, training new and surge medical staff, supporting policy development and execution, analyzing data and conducting remote chart reviews and acting as a liaison between providers and other key players in medical processing.

“This office is all about support; it’s never a punitive department,” said Jackson. “It’s important to not only make sure the policy we create makes sense but show that we are able to get in the trenches with them. We want our people to see we understand the aspects of their day and that we are here to support them.”

The office is currently staffed by three physicians: Director Dr. Ashley Jackson and physician leads Dr. Kimberly Matchett and Dr. Colleen Murphy. A fourth provider position is authorized, with two coordinators supporting credentialing and training. Each provider covers a designated portfolio of MEPS, ensuring tailored support across the command.

PQMPO is already making a difference. Since announcing the office’s creation, providers have become more engaged, reaching out with questions about documentation, training and procedures. In the short term, the office is working to complete overdue qualification and requalification visits. In the long term, the focus is on growing the team, building training products and becoming a more robust resource for the field.