Rapidly Building Operational Medicine Capabilities through Next Generation Command and Control: An Innovation Partnership between 4th Infantry Division and 627th Hospital Center

Fort Carson, Colo. – Partnering with 627th Hospital Center (HC) as a part of the Next Generation Command and Control (NGC2) prototype initiative at Fort Carson, Colorado, is nothing new for the 4th Infantry Division (ID). Over the last year, the 627th HC fully integrated into 4th ID NGC2 to test and challenge developing technologies in field and simulated environments. The first year of innovation culminated during the exercise, Ivy Sting 6, where the 10th Field Hospital and its higher headquarters, the 627th HC, tested maneuver-medical sensors, established a communication network to manage patient tracking at volume, digitized medical evacuation requests, and utilized C2 applications to drive decision making across a notionally dispersed operational environment.

The past year of NGC2 innovation highlighted the importance of integration using a bottom-up approach across Army warfighting functions. 4th ID and 627th HC experimented with maneuver-medical sensors for casualty triage and tracking from point of injury through the roles of care, and established gateway networks in a dispersed field hospital and forward resuscitative surgical detachment to develop and test new ways to medically C2 across a range of military operations. Leveraging NGC2 applications with sensor technology expands commander’s visualization and enables rapid planning and better decision making.

The end user experience remains critical when evaluating maneuver-medical sensors and C2 visualization technologies. Sensor-assisted casualty data informs processes along the evacuation and care continuum and up the echelons of command to generate the most relevant information about patient status, clinical capabilities, and casualty evacuation. Developing technologies and methods to increase the speed and precision of triage and tracking improves the survivability of medical personnel and units in the modern-day operational environment. Real-time monitoring of casualties provides maneuver commanders with the information to drive decision making and medical personnel the understanding of combat power and the potential impact to current and future operations.

NGC2 provides 4th ID and 627th HC the unique opportunity to directly test interoperability and integration within a new C2 communication framework while providing solutions to present-day operational medicine problems. Most importantly, NGC2 foreshadowed key requirements for Role 3 hospitalization to fully integrate into a technologically dense warfighting plan. Identifying problems for rapid solution development by industry partners remains a major benefit of NGC2 medical experimentation. This prototype initiative enhances the end user’s efficiency and ability to manage at a scale we cannot without it and demonstrates the intense focus by Army leaders to deploy the next generation of communication and sensor equipment to fight and win. Maneuver and medical formations will continue to innovate within NGC2 – The future is bright for Army Medicine.

4th ID and 627th HC turned the page to the next chapter of NGC2 innovation with optimism and verve – Steadfast and Loyal! Spartan Medics, Strength Through Unity!

Authors
Maj. Matthew Brim, Capt. Samantha Hatfield, Maj. Glenn Thomas, Maj. Dennis Vinett

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