The amphibious assault ship USS Bataan's (LHD 5) Medical Administration Officer Lt. Matthew D. Forbes was selected as 2017's Operational Patient Administration Officer of the Year, Jan. 19.

Each year, the Navy's Medical Service Corps (MSC) recognizes the top medical administration officers in the fleet. At sea, MSC officers assist the senior medical officer, as the medical administration officer (MAO), with all the administration details of the medical department. MAOs also serve as the division officer and medical division training officer, ensuring the ship's medical and non-medical personnel are trained in first aid and other appropriate health matters.

Bataan's Senior Medical Officer Cmdr. Andrew H. Lin nominated Forbes for his outstanding performance throughout the year and while deployed in the 5th and 6th Fleet area of operations.

"His core values and dedication [were] proven through countless actions during our 2017 deployment," said Lin. "He was integral in supporting our coalition partners during a mass casualty and he successfully ran the largest shipboard walking blood bank activation since Vietnam."

The Atlanta native knew in high school that he wanted to pursue a career in the medical field. While he wanted to be a doctor and help people, he realized he had more of a passion for the business management side of healthcare.

"While doctors and nurses are the ones who see patients, somebody has to run the business side of things," said Forbes. 'When I look at how people go to the emergency room for help and have to wait six hours to be seen; those are the people I want to help and the issues I want to help fix, so people can get the help they need when they need it."

Forbes noted that job openings for MAOs on amphibious platforms are hard to come by, so when he was assigned to the Bataan as the patient administration officer (PAD), he knew his hard work would [culminate] in being eligible for this award.

The Navy's Director for Administration and PAD Specialty Leader Cmdr. Maria C. Coon announced Forbes' selection through a fleet-wide Bureau of Navy Medicine email. After reading the email his reaction was both happy and humble.

"It's an individual award, but everything is always a team effort," said Forbes. "I'm not the one giving shots or seeing patients, so a lot of the things medical does; it's everybody. To me, this is a group award."

Coon stated in her announcement that they received an unprecedented amount of nominations and Forbes was up against six finalists, adding that each nomination reflected the core values of patient administration: leadership, professionalism, compassion, and accountability. Forbes takes these core values to heart, and when it comes to mentorship, he tries to impress that upon future PADs.

"It's easy to overlook the day-to-day stuff," said Forbes. "The hardest part is figuring out what we are going to be doing for the day and it is these little things that add up to the huge things."

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