By K. Richard Douglas
In 2010, a first-of-its-kind partnership between the Department of Defense (DoD) and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs established the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center (FHCC). This came about when the North Chicago VA Medical Center (VAMC) and the former Naval Health Clinic Great Lakes (NHCGL) merged resources and services.
The health care center provides services to several groups, but is uniquely able to also provide services to the many Navy recruits who pass through the Naval Station Great Lakes. Veterans in Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin receive medical care through the center’s campuses and outpatient clinics.
With the center’s large patient population, there is ample need for diagnostic imaging. The advanced imaging equipment requires well-trained imaging service specialists. One of those is Christopher ”Chris” Bryant, CBET.
Bryant didn’t go directly into imaging when he left the Navy, but after getting experience in the health care environment, he ended up there.
“I got sent to the naval hospital when I was getting out of the Navy – and they billeted me in the biomed shop to clean the floors and help with minor tasks, as temporary duty,” he remembers.
“Turns out, the biomed guys had a great job and it got me interested in the career. The supervisor recommended that I get a degree, to compete for biomed jobs more competitively,” Bryant says.
So, that’s what he did. He went to DeVry and got a degree in computer and electronics sciences. He also received specialized imaging training.
“First DeVry for the degree(s) and then DITEC for the imaging-specific training,” Bryant says.
“Back in 2007, when the BAW (Biomedical Association of Wisconsin) was hosting a conference in Green Bay, they offered ultrasound training through DITEC at the conference. That got my appetite whetted for imaging and then I started going through the levels of DITEC in Solon in the following years,” he says.
“Oh; and I may be the last person to get the imaging specialist certificate issued by Kensington Penn State and DITEC – before they closed the school down,” Bryant adds.
He says that he married that to the medical training he received in the Navy and got hired as an electronic mechanic with his current employer, then called North Chicago VA Medical Center.
“They tasked me with A/V and security systems and as soon as a biomed spot opened up, I jumped in to lab and then surgery and pulmonary, and then when an imaging spot opened up, I jumped on that. I’ve been at the same facility ever since,” Bryant says.
“So, [I] started as an electronic mechanic; working on beds, security systems, and A/V support and install. Then, transitioned to biomed in about a year when a position opened up. Worked pretty much every department in the hospital, including the dental clinic, which is part of the facility. Then, after completing the CBET certification and the DITEC training, I worked under one of the imaging techs until a spot opened up and do most all of the imaging modalities, but specialize in nuclear medicine,” Bryant adds.
On the military side, he joined in 1992 and went to boot camp in Orlando in 1993 and transferred to the Navy Reserves in 1998 and then the Coast Guard in 2003.
“Currently I’m the Command Senior Chief of Sector Lake Michigan for the Reserve Program,” Bryant says.
Special Projects and Time Away from Work
Bryant’s skill set also serves the Coast Guard while he continues to focus on instituting best practices at work.
He says that he was sent down to Puerto Rico this year by the Coast Guard for the purpose of rebuilding a clinic for the air station.
“One of the proudest things that I got to be a part of – firstly being able to actually get my hands dirty – they don’t let old guys like me do that too much,” Bryant jokes.
“We pulled 10,000 feet of fiber optic cable and 3,000 feet of copper cable to completely rewire the spaces for patient care. Secondly, there was a tangible result from our efforts. The members and their families’ quality of life was positively affected by our direct actions,” he adds.
Bryant says one of his biggest ongoing challenges is the merging of the VA and the Navy at the FHCC.
“It’s a challenge when two huge government entities have to work together for a unified outcome when both departments have different SOP’s and methods of doing business. We are taking care of patients in the entire military spectrum; from boot camp recruits to military dependents, to the veterans. It’s a very unique situation and we are constantly learning from it and having to find the best practice. It’s not just one or the other side of the house, per say. We make it work, because we’re dedicated to taking care of our military family,” Bryant says.
Does Bryant have any hobbies?
“Do kids count as a hobby? The little guys take up most of the free time, but I do like to run (although the military requires it),” he says.
“I suppose table top miniature painting counts – my oldest son is into tabletop wargaming and we spend quality time together painting up his army,” Bryant says.
Also, away from work, he is a member of the education committee and the conference committee for the Clinical Engineering Association of Illinois and the Chapter Dad for the Lakes Chapter of Illinois DeMolay.
Imaging service has a dedicated specialist at the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center in Bryant. And, the military continues to have an experienced Command Senior Chief.
