A new study published by the Department of Defense, shifting military patients from military treatment facilities to local civilian hospitals can cause significant harm to these patients.

The research was concluded after comparing the safety and quality offered to patients of military treatment facilities (MTFs) and local civilian hospitals. According to the DOD study, the quality of care and protection provided to patients is better at MTFs.

Tracey Perez Koehlmoos, professor of protective medicine at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, said it was the first attempt this deep to compare the health care providers. Moreover, the conclusion of this research could affect the ongoing efforts made by the military health system. These efforts include shifting military patients from MTFs to local civilian hospitals under Tricare.

Reducing access to military treatment facilities could affect about 10% of the military population. This shift could also increase surgical mortality rates, medical mortality rates and patients’ general safety.

This conclusion was stated in the study, In Defense of Direct Care: Limiting Access to Military Hospitals Could Worsen Quality and Safety, published on Oct. 4 in the journal Health Service Research.

According to the government relations senior deputy director for the National Military Family Association, Eileen Huck, while it is satisfying to see MTFs working better and providing better services to the military families, it is also daunting to conclude the effect of shifting patients from MTFs to local civilian hospitals could have on TRICARE beneficiaries.

Data used for the study was compiled from fiscal years 2016-18 with admissions of adult military beneficiaries at 37 MTFs and surrounding hospitals.