1-16. RETAIL LEVEL OF ARMY MEDICAL SUPPLY
a. The retail level of supply lies between the wholesale level and the user It is
service oriented (operated by the appropriate military
b. In the US, as far as the Army medical supply is concerned, the retail level
normally is the Installation Medical Supply Activity (IMSA) officer, who also is the
hospital medical supply officer.
c. In overseas commands, the retail level normally is the US Army Medical
Supply, Optical, and Maintenance Unit (MEDSOM) and the hospitals.
d. These retail level activities obtain their medical supplies from DPSC and
maintain a full range of medical materiel for the support of all user activities within their
areas of responsibility. In addition, they provide these activities with medical equipment,
maintenance support and usually optical fabrication, and repair services.
1-17. NONMEDICAL MATERIEL SUPPORT SYSTEM
While organizations and users (hospitals, health clinics, medical laboratories, and
so forth) must order medical supplies and equipment through the IMSA officer, who is
supported primarily by the DLA's DPSC. They must order non-medical items such as
file cabinets, office desks, and typewriters through the installation consolidated supply
officer. The organizations that provide wholesale non-medical materiel support to the
consolidated supply officer are the DLA, the General Services Administration (GSA),
and the United States Army Materiel Command (USAMC).
1-18. THE USING LEVEL
Hospitals and their personnel (physicians. dentists. nurses. pharmacists. And so
forth) and TOE units and their personnel are examples of users of medical supplies.
Many of these organizations and people operate under the command and control of the
Health Services Command (HSC), US Army. The health service center is a major
command of the Army. Table of Organization and Equipment medical units operate
under the control of US Army Forces Command (FORSCOM), which is a major
command on the same level as HSC.
1-19. HOSPITAL LOGISTICS DIVISION (FOR EITHER MEDCEN HOSPITAL OR
UNITED STATES ARMY COMMUNITY HOSPITAL)
a. The mission of the Logistics Division in either a MEDCEN hospital or a US.
Army community hospital is to provide or arrange for the equipment, supplies, and
services necessary to support the health care delivery mission of the MEDCEN or
MEDDAC and the requirements of other activities as authorized.
b. The Logistics Division consists of the Office of the Chief and the following
branches: the Materiel Branch, the Property Management Branch, the Medical
MD0029
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