Joint Patient Movement System, a Solution to Arrest the Erosion of an Efficient and Effective System

摘要

This paper will demonstrate that the current joint medical patient movement doctrine is not practiced, and that the Army must play an integral part in the joint patient movement system for this system to be a success. Finally, it will propose that the Joint Force Surgeon increase the Army's role in the joint patient movement system. The U.S. Army is the only military service in the world that has as a part of its doctrine a dedicated air and ground patient movement system. The organizations within this patient movement system support the full spectrum of modern military operations from high intensity conflict to nation building. During Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom the Army's dedicated air and ground patient movement system provided outstanding patient movement support to the service components, coalition forces, DoD civilians, DoD contractors, Department of State employees, Congressional members, Presidential cabinet members, displaced civilians, enemy prisoners of war, non-governmental organizations, private organizations, displaced civilians, and international organizations. This support spanned the entire Iraqi and Afghan theaters of operation and was accomplished without a cogent joint patient movement plan. This resulted in an extraordinary amount of effort and an astonishing commitment of patient movement assets. To ensure an efficient and effective patient movement system, it is necessary that the Joint Force Surgeon practice current joint patient movement doctrine by including the Army as an integral partner in the joint patient movement process. This will streamline the patient movement system, making it more effective and efficient. (5 figures, 46 refs.).