Understanding the Whole of Military Health Systems: The Defence Healthcare Cycle

The provision of healthcare for military personnel and veterans is an important component of the covenant between the state and its armed forces. While most emphasis is placed on the field medical system, the majority of clinical activity and healthcare costs arise from healthcare in garrisons and for veterans. In this article, Martin Bricknell and Paul Cain propose a high-level concept for a whole-of-military healthcare system that encompasses both operational and non-operational health services – the defence healthcare cycle.