Establishing Materiel Clinical Requirements for Shipboard Trauma Care
Abstract
A medical knowledge base consisting of 336 shipboard patient types, treatment protocols, and the medical materiel required to administer care, defined in the protocols, was developed. The knowledge base, developed with shipboard medical Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) was used to establish clinical requirements for each medical item in the surface fleet's trauma Authorized Minimal Medical Allowance Lists (AMMALs). The AMMALs investigated represent the critical care and trauma materiel used during wartime or emergency events and include the battle dressing station, portable medical locker, emergency response kits, antidote lockers, and first-aid boxes. The results showed overall reductions in the number of items required, weight, cube, and cost. The reductions were achieved along with increases in clinical capability not currently available in the trauma AMMALs. A second examination of the data showed that item changes occurred primarily because of (1) the failure to idenflfy a clinical requirement or identification of clinical requirements not currently being met, (2) the identification of outmoded technology or the introduction of technologically superior materiel, or (3) the removal of items found to be redundant with other pieces of gear. The results demonstrate the value of establishing clinical requirements for the medical materiel used by the Fleet's emergency medicine AMMALs. This process led to the removal of items contributing little or no benefit to the mission of the AMMALs thereby freeing space for items that can increase the Fleet's capacity to treat the seriously injured. Furtherrnore, the efficiency of the medical department is enhanced because there is less materiel to maintain, inventory, rotate, or discard upon expiration. Because fewer items are required, the cost of stocking a ship with its allotment of medical gear is also reduced.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 1999
- Accession Number
- ADA370073
Entities
People
- Edwin Alvarez
- Geerald Pang
- Michael R. Galarneau
- Paula J. Konoske
Organizations
- Naval Health Research Center