62nd year, No. 26
Serving the NATO, Naples and Gaeta Military Community in Italy Russell Egnor Navy Media Awards – 2016 Best Newspaper in the Navy
Friday, July 7, 2017
MWR Hosts 2017 Festa Americana at Carney Park U.S. Strongly Condemns July 4th North Korean Missile Launch From DoD News
Nearly 20,000 military service members, DOD civilians, along with their families and friends enjoyed Festa Americana at Carney Park and Support Site over the Fourth of July weekend. The festivities included great food, rides live music, authentic American barbecue, and of course a spectacular fireworks show from inside Monte Gauro, the extinct volcanic crater that is home to world famous Carney Park. Photo by Gary Nichols
USNH Quality Management’s Dedication to Patient Safety, Quality Care By Lt. Christopher Stein U.S. Naval Hospital Naples
A resounding theme has emerged as healthcare organizations evolve across the world: Patient Safety. Patient safety has become the main focus of top performing hospitals. The team at U.S. Naval Hospital (USNH) Naples is dedicated to providing safe patient care and continuing to “do no harm.” The hospital’s Quality Management department has developed a robust Patient Safety program, headed by Dr. John Plaja, a retired Navy captain. Issues concerning safe patient care are systematically and
thoroughly analyzed, then improved. Discussion and process improvement occurs at every level within the organization to include the command suite and the Commanding Officer (CO). Innovative programs such as the iChat system, a platform for staff members to communicate and dissect issues, have originated at USNH Naples and are spreading across Navy Medicine. In conjunction with the Patient Safety program, Naples staff regularly drill emergency situations in an effort to unveil potential system flaws. USNH QUALITY MANAGEMENT Page 7
The team at U.S. Naval Hospital (USNH) Naples has developed an effective and a robust Patient Safety program, which has become a model for hospitals across the United States as best practice standards. Photo courtesy of USNH Naples Public Affairs
CAPTAIN’S CORNER. . . . . . . . . 2 BASE NOTES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 HISTORY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 FFSC CALENDAR . . . . . . . . . . . 5 SOUND OFF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 MOVIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 JOBS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
U.S. FLAG FLIES OVER ROTA . . . . . . . . . page 5
PCS MOVING TIPS FOR KIDS . . . . . . . . . . page 14
USO TOURS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 WORD SEARCH / COLOR ME 14
The United States strongly condemned North Korea’s July 4 escalatory launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile, according to a statement issued by chief Pentagon spokesperson Dana W. White. White, who is the assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs and principal staff assistant and advisor to the Secretary and Deputy Secretary of Defense for communications, news media relations, public outreach, engagement, public affairs and visual information, said the Pentagon is monitoring and continuing to assess the situation in close coordination with our regional allies and partners. “The launch continues to demonstrate that North Korea poses a threat to the United States and our allies,” White said. “Together with [South Korea], we conducted a combined exercise to show our precision fire capability.” “We remain prepared to defend ourselves and our allies and to use the full range of capabilities at our disposal against the growing threat from North Korea,” White said. “The United States seeks only the peaceful denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. Our commitment to the defense of our allies, the Republic of Korea and Japan, in the face of these threats, remains ironclad.”