UPDATES TO PERIODIC HEALTH ASSESSMENTS IN SUPPORT OF PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR INDIVIDUAL READINESS:

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NAVADMIN 247/17

MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/OCT//

SUBJ/UPDATES TO PERIODIC HEALTH ASSESSMENTS IN SUPPORT OF PERSONAL 
RESPONSIBILITY FOR INDIVIDUAL READINESS//

REF/A/DOD/9JUN14//
REF/B/SECNAV/1DEC09//
REF/C/NDAA/2015//
REF/D/BUMED/27JUL16//
REF/E/OPNAV/9APR07//
REF/F/SECNAV/14DEC05//
NARR/REF A IS DODINST 6025.19, INDIVIDUAL MEDICAL READINESS (IMR).
REF B IS SECNAVINST 6120.3, PERIODIC HEALTH ASSESSMENT FOR INDIVIDUAL MEDICAL 
READINESS.  
REF C IS NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT OF FISCAL YEAR 2015.  
REF D IS BUMEDINST 1300.2B, SUITABILITY SCREENING, MEDICAL ASSIGNMENT 
SCREENING, AND EXCEPTIONAL FAMILY MEMBER PROGRAM IDENTIFICATION AND 
ENROLLMENT.  
REF E IS OPNAVINST 1300.14D, SUITABILITY SCREENING FOR OVERSEAS AND REMOTE 
DUTY ASSIGNMENT.  REF F IS SECNAVINST 1754.5B, EXCEPTIONAL FAMILY MEMBER 
PROGRAM.//

RMKS/1.  Our Navy is a forward-deployed fighting force, and individual 
readiness is the fundamental building block for mission success.  Each one of 
us must be committed to all aspects of our individual readiness including 
medical, dental, mental, physical, financial and family care.  Our ability to 
accurately distribute personnel or to surge forces in time of crisis depends 
on the accuracy of this information.  This NAVADMIN announces improvements to 
the Periodic Health Assessment (PHA) and other programs that will enhance our 
overseas screening, sea duty screening and assignment processes.

2.  Effective immediately, deployability and eligibility for sea duty will be 
considered in every healthcare encounter, including PHAs, positive 
Performance Assessment Risk Factor Questionnaire (PARFQ) responses requiring 
medical evaluations, and all routine medical visits.  In line with references 
(a) and (b), commands will ensure annual PHA completion.  However, individual 
service members bear ultimate responsibility for completing their PHAs on 
time.

3.  The new electronic PHA (ePHA) was rolled out this summer and is designed 
to be more convenient and efficient, and incorporates an annually required 
Mental Health Assessment (MHA) in line with reference (c).  This important 
step makes our force more resilient by increasing access and decreasing the 
stigma of seeking care for mental health.  The first part of the ePHA is a 
self-assessment, completed securely online when convenient for the service 
member. The next step is a conversation with a provider to review physical 
and mental health.  Some healthy service members with otherwise current 
individual medical readiness can complete the PHA with a telephone call, 
further reducing time away from work.  The ePHA is being used in all Navy 
hospitals and clinics.  The ePHA is also available to all operational units, 
though use may be limited by internet access, computer access, or bandwidth.  
Where the ePHA is not available, the MHA must be completed in conjunction 
with the legacy PHA.

4.  All too often we start the process to send a Sailor on an overseas tour 
and find out too late there is an issue, resulting in a gap in these critical 
billets.  The new ePHA, will identify deployment-limiting medical conditions, 
providing Detailers with critical deployment status information to make 
informed detailing decisions for sea duty and overseas duty.  The new ePHA 
will also greatly facilitate the overseas screening process because service 
members will only have to provide an update of their current medical status 
since their most recent PHA.  In addition, we will still need to validate 
that needed medical care is available at the proposed duty station in line 
with references (d) and (e).  Appropriate Exceptional Family Member (EFM) 
enrollment for dependents, when indicated by reference (f), also ensures 
accurate tracking of deployability and eligibility for overseas assignment.

5.  We are working on an update to our FITREP/EVAL system that will 
incorporate changes to require individual readiness accountability as a part 
of these performance reviews.  Individual service member responsibility for 
medical readiness and deployability will be tracked and will be an important 
factor in managing our force in the future.  You can expect additional policy 
announcements in the coming months.

6.  Points of Contact:
   a.  Overseas Screening:  Distribution Management and Procedures Branch, 
PERS-451, CDR Scott Moss at (901) 874-2117/DSN 882, or via e-mail at 
overseas_screening@navy.mil.
   b.  BUMED (M34 Medical Readiness), CAPT M. Alaric Franzos at (703) 681-
9085, or via e-mail at marc.a.franzos.mil@mail.mil.

7.  Released by Vice Admiral R. P. Burke, N1.//

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