ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England -- Senior Airman Errington Neysmith, 48th Medical Operations Squadron emergency room medical technician, checks the pupils of a simulated victim, as Tech. Sgt. Susanna Lindsey, 48th MDOS emergency room shift leader, prepares to relay the information during a training demonstration, Feb. 28, 2012. The ER averages 1,400 visits monthly and supports the combat capability of the 48th Fighter Wing, 100th Air Refueling Wing, 501st Combat Support Wing and 352nd Special Operations Group. The ER is part of the 48th Medical Group, which recently won the Air Force Surgeon General's Best Hospital of the Year for a third year in a row. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Lee A. Osberry Jr.)
ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England -- Maj. (Dr.) Jarom Ray, 48th Dental Squadron chief of endodontics, performs a root canal as Airman 1st Class Channis Campblin, 48 DS endodontics dental assistant, assists with the procedure, Feb. 28, 2012. The 48 DS won the Air Force Large Dental Clinic for 2011 and is part of the 48th Medical Group, which recently won the Air Force Surgeon General's Best Hospital of the Year for the third year in a row. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Lausanne Morgan)
ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England -- Tech. Sgt. Heather Thomas, 48th Medical Surgical Squadron NCO in charge of computed tomography, looks at an x-ray in the hospital’s radiology department, Feb. 28, 2012. Radiology averages 32,000 exams monthly and supports the combat capability of the 48th Fighter Wing, 100th Air Refueling Wing, 501st Combat Support Wing and 352nd Special Operations Group. The radiology department is a part of the 48th Medical Group which recently won the Air Force Surgeon General’s Best Hospital of the Year for the third year in a row. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Tiffany M. Deuel)
ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England -- Senior Airman Catalina Barrow, 48th Dental Squadron dental assistant, applies vitamins to a patient's teeth after performing a routine cleaning, Feb. 28, 2012. The 48 DS won the Air Force Large Dental Clinic for 2011 and is part of the 48th Medical Group, which recently won the Air Force Surgeon General's Best Hospital of the Year for the third year in a row. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Lausanne Morgan)
ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England -- Lt. Col. (Dr.) John Mileski, 48th Aerospace Medical Squadron Optometry flight commander, checks the eyes of a patient in the hospital’s optometry department, Feb. 28, 2012. The optometry flight performs 9,720 exams annually and is part of the 48th Medical Group, which recently won the Air Force Surgeon General’s Best Hospital of the Year for the third year in a row. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Tiffany M. Deuel)
ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England -- Senior Airman Chad Betty, 48th Medical Support Squadron pharmacy supply custodian, mixes components to make a gel that will be used on physical therapy patients, Feb. 29, 2012. The pharmacy averages 147,000 prescriptions monthly and supports the combat capability of the 48th Fighter Wing, 100th Air Refueling Wing, 501st Combat Support Wing and 352nd Special Operations Group. The pharmacy is part of the 48th Medical Group, which recently won the Air Force Surgeon General's Best Hospital of the Year for a third year in a row. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Connor Estes)
ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England -- Lt. Col. (Dr.) Duane Tucker, 48th Medical Operations Squadron dermatologist, applies sutures on a patient after a conservative mole excision, Dec. 21, 2011. The 48th Medical Group recently won the Air Force Surgeon General's Best Hospital of the Year for the third year in a row. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Lausanne Morgan)
ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England -- Staff Sgt. Latisha Wood, 48th Dental Squadron dental laboratory technician, waxes a set of dentures, Feb. 28, 2012. The 48 DS won the Air Force Large Dental Clinic for 2011 and is part of the 48th Medical Group, which recently won the Air Force Surgeon General's Best Hospital of the Year for the third year in a row. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Lausanne Morgan)
ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England -- Senior Airman Jenifer Heath, 48th Medical Surgical Squadron diagnostic imaging journeyman, adjusts the head of a dummy for a computed tomography scan in the hospital’s radiology department, Feb. 28, 2012. Radiology averages 32,000 exams monthly and supports the combat capability of the 48th Fighter Wing, 100th Air Refueling Wing, 501st Combat Support Wing and 352nd Special Operations Group. The radiology department is a part of the 48th Medical Group which recently won the Air Force Surgeon General’s Best Hospital of the Year for the third year in a row. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Tiffany M. Deuel)
ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England -- Tech. Sgt. Susanna Lindsey, 48th Medical Operations Squadron emergency room shift leader, and Senior Airman Errington Neysmith, emergency room medical technician, rush a simulated victim into the ER during a training demonstration, Feb. 28, 2012. The ER averages 1,400 visits monthly and supports the combat capability of the 48th Fighter Wing, 100th Air Refueling Wing, 501st Combat Support Wing and 352nd Special Operations Group. The ER is part of the 48th Medical Group, which recently won the Air Force Surgeon General's Best Hospital of the Year for a third year in a row. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Lee A. Osberry Jr.)
by Staff Sgt. Connor Estes
48th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
3/2/2012 - ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England -- The 48th Medical Group continued its winning streak for the third consecutive Air Force Surgeon General's Best Hospital of the Year award, a feat some among the group thought was unlikely.
"It is unheard of that a hospital could win three years in a row," said Col. Joseph Legan, 48th MDG commander. "I could not be more proud; it's just absolutely unbelievable... I'm speechless."
One aspect that makes the 48th MDG unique is the service it provides throughout the U.K.
"What some people don't realize is that we not only serve the 48th Fighter Wing, but the 100th Air Refueling Wing and the 501st Combat Support Wing and we're including space available patients," said Legan.
With such a wide area of responsibility, Legan stated the support they received from the wing helped make this success possible.
"We have great support from the rest of the base and from our wing leadership," said Legan. "The 48th Mission Support Group helps us with a lot of things we do."
Airmen in the 48th MDG cite different reasons as the key to all the recent success.
"Our training has a lot to do with it," said Senior Airman Robin Hansen, 48th Dental Squadron pediatric dental technician. "We do so many simulated scenarios, which allow us to know what to do in almost every type of situation that may come up at any given time."
For Legan the answer to having an award winning group comes down to one word: people.
"It's possible when you have the best people all moving in the same direction to achieve one goal, then great things can happen," said Legan. "They're awesome, they know what to do and get it done every single day. It makes my job very easy."
Maj. Theresa Clark, 48th Inpatient Operations Squadron maternal inpatient flight commander, suggested the interaction between the 48th MDG and the local community is another key to the win.
"I think we have a great opportunity here because we work really well with our U.K. counterparts," said Clark.
Even after winning three annual awards in a row, Clark doesn't think the group should let up their hard work.
"My first thought of winning the award is we have to step it up so we can win it four years in a row," said Clark.
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