Reducing medical attrition: The role of the accession medical standards analysis and research activity

This paper illustrates how adding an epidemiologic perspective to medical a ccession policy development allows the Department of Defense to address una cceptably high rates of premature attrition, lost duty time, avoidable medi cal care costs, sick leave, disability, and various wasteful, inefficient p ractices. The Accession Medical Standards Analysis and Research Activity is a major new epidemiologic entity. Historically, military medical accession policy and waiver deliberations were based heavily on expert opinion. A co mmon limitation of expert opinion is that although experience teaches much about individuals with certain conditions who develop problems, it does not teach about individuals with the same conditions who remain well. The Acce ssion Medical Standards Analysis and Research Activity produces the analyse s of epidemiologic data necessary for the joint personnel and medical flag- level Department of Defense Accessions Medical Standards Steering Committee to make evidence-based accession policy decisions.