Health Affairs

Posting date: August 4, 2005

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Health Affairs, 10.1377/hlthaff.w5.353
Copyright © 2005 by Project HOPE

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The Complex World Of Military Medicine: A Conversation With William Winkenwerder

Robert Galvin ^1*

¹ Bill Winkenwerder has served as assistant secretary of defense for health affairs since October 2001. He came to the Pentagon after thirteen years of executive leadership positions in the health care industry. Bob Galvin is director, Global Health Care, for General Electric in Fairfield, Connecticut.

^*Corresponding author.

Abstract

Starting as assistant secretary of defense for health affairs just ten days after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, William Winkenwerder has probably the most complex and challenging leadership role in health care. In this interview he talks about the innovations taking place in battlefield medicine; the cost pressures and consolidation that exist in the military health system; the challenges of reporting to his notoriously demanding boss, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld; and the need to deal with a questioning, skeptical media. Trained in internal medicine and business administration, Winkenwerder came to the Defense Department after stints at Emory University and Blue Cross of Massachusetts.

Key Words: Insurance Coverage, Military Medicine

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