Vice Adm. Forrest Faison, Navy Surgeon General and chief, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, visited Naval Hospital Jacksonville Aug. 22-23 and Naval Branch Health Clinic Mayport Aug. 23.

This was Faison's first official visit to NH Jacksonville's medical facilities since being promoted to surgeon general. The visit included all-hands calls, facility tours, a breakfast with junior Sailors, and leadership briefings.

Faison reviewed NH Jacksonville's critical role in keeping the Navy and Marine Corps family healthy, ready and on the job.

"We're family, taking care of our military family," said Faison. "My ask of you is to keep doing what you're doing. Thank you, for making a difference every day to the people who need our help."

Faison discussed the unprecedented 97 percent survival rate for combat injuries in recent conflicts, the need to preserve clinical skills to maintain that survival rate in future conflicts, current drivers of patient choice in health care -- convenience of care, experience of care, and technology -- the new electronic health records system, the future medical footprint aboard Navy ships, expectations for Navy Medicine staff, and positive findings from the comparison of military health care to top-tier, private-sector health systems.

A native of Norfolk, Faison assumed duties as the Navy's 38th surgeon general Dec. 15, 2015. He previously served as the Navy's deputy surgeon general and deputy chief, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery.

Celebrating its 75th Anniversary this year, NH Jacksonville's priority since its founding in 1941 is to heal the nation's heroes and their families. The command is comprised of the Navy's third largest hospital and five branch health clinics across Florida and Georgia. Of its patient population -- 163,000 active and retired Sailors, Soldiers, Marines, Airmen, guardsmen, and their families -- about 85,000 are enrolled with a primary care manager and Medical Home Port team at one of its facilities.

To find out more or download the command's mobile app, visit http://www.med.navy.mil/sites/navalhospitaljax/.

For more information, visit www.navy.mil, www.facebook.com/usnavy, or www.twitter.com/usnavy.

For more news from Naval Hospital Jacksonville, visit www.navy.mil/.