US Army-Navy Hospital Merger, Part B
2015
This case study is one in a four-part series describing the largest, most expensive, and controversial hospital merger in U.S. history, between Walter Reed Army Medical Center and the National Naval Military Center in Bethesda, Maryland between 2011 and 2014. Case B explores the difficulties of merging organizations with significant cultural differences. Case A describes the efforts and leadership style of Vice Admiral Dr. John Mateczun, a three-star Navy admiral, who led the merger. The series epilogue examines the merger results, three years later. A short accompanying video offers a history of the two hospitals and demonstrates the urgency of the medical needs of Walter Reed patients during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
This case series is part of a case collection produced by the Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) Case Program, hosted by the HKS Strengthening Learning and Teaching Excellence (SLATE) initiative, the world’s largest producer and repository of case studies designed for teaching about how government works and how public policy is made. Each case in the series is designed to train public leaders, and introduces actual policy dilemmas along with data to equip students to learn how to apply the rigor of quantitative analysis in the real world.
This case may be purchased for a nominal fee; registered educators may obtain a free review copy. Online supplemental resources include short free documents and videos on how to teach with the case method, as well as downloadable related tip sheets and questions for class discussion.
US Army-Navy Hospital Merger, Part B
Source:
Mabe M. Walter Reed National Military Medical Center: Integrating Army and Navy Cultures at the New Walter Reed (B). HKS Case No. 2036.0. Harvard Kennedy School Case Program 2015. http://case.hks.harvard.edu/walter-reed-national-military-medical-center-integrating-army-and-navy-cultures-at-the-new-walter-reed-b.