Oct. 21, 2026 | By Thomas Cieslak, Naval Health Clinic Cherry Point
What happens if a 34-year-old patient needs care, but they use more than 20,000 kWh of electricity and drink more than 17,000 gallons of water a day?
The Facilities Team aboard Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Cherry Point knows just what to do and keeps the more-than-three-decades-old facility operating smoothly to maintain the medical readiness of units assigned to Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point.
What we do in facilities directly impacts patient care
“The facilities team maintains the physical infrastructure, safety systems, and operational environment necessary to support continuous, uninterrupted patient care,” said Mr. Scott Segebarth, the Maintenance Mechanic Supervisor of the Facilities Team. “Healthcare facilities require specialized maintenance because building systems directly affect patient safety, infection prevention, and continuity of clinical care.”
The NMRTC Cherry Point Facilities Team plays an integral role in the medical readiness of Marines and Sailors assigned to MCAS Cherry Point. They keep the facility operating and ensure medical care at the clinic is safe, accurate and provided in a comfortable environment.
Segebarth and his team also support compliance, safety and long-term capital planning. Their work ensures the clinic meets applicable requirements from regulatory and accreditation bodies such as The Joint Commission, Occupational Safety and Health Administration and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Mr. Mike Elliott, the Facilities Manager, acts as a liaison between other departments in the clinic and the team. He is often the first person contacted in the building when a maintenance problem erupts, shatters, leaks or short-circuits.
What we do in facilities directly impacts patient care, said Elliott. Without the team, it would be impossible to maintain the high operational tempo required of Military Treatment Facilities by the Defense Health Agency and U.S. Navy, he continued.
Maintaining a medical facility has its own challenges and requires highly skilled attention to critical areas like medical gas systems, high-voltage electrical systems and water-safety programs. Using computerized maintenance management systems, the team schedules and conducts equipment inspections, preventive maintenance and emergency repairs.
Facilities teams also must account for the strict requirements in place for air quality, temperature, humidity and pressure relationships in patient-care areas in the clinic such as operating rooms, the pharmacy and the laboratory. “Unlike many commercial buildings, hospitals operate continuously and depend on reliable utilities, environmental controls, medical gas systems, and emergency power to support life-sustaining equipment and critical care areas,” said Segebarth.
Elliott and Segebarth often coordinate repairs and preventive maintenance around patient care hours at NMRTC Cherry Point, supporting patient care from behind-the-scenes while limiting noise, dust, infection risk, utility interruptions and access disruptions.
“The Facilities Team is one of the best teams I have had the privilege of working alongside. In healthcare, we understand that meticulous attention to detail directly impacts patient outcomes and mission readiness,” said Navy Capt. Carol Ellsworth, the NMRTC Cherry Point Executive Officer. “This team brings that exact same clinical level of discipline, pride, and dedication to maintaining our physical infrastructure. They care for our building the way the best medical teams care for their patients.”
