Military health system explores artificial intelligence and virtual care for combat preparedness
The Defense Health Agency (DHA) is revolutionizing battlefield medicine, leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual healthcare technologies to significantly enhance care in extended conflict scenarios.
Key to this transformation is the implementation of virtual healthcare capabilities, enabling specialists to provide real-time guidance to battlefield medics performing complex medical procedures. This innovative approach extends expert care even when specialists cannot be physically present on the battlefield, improving outcomes in critical trauma situations.
One such AI-driven tool is BAE Systems' FDA-cleared BATDOK® (Battlefield Assisted Trauma Distributed Operations Kit). This platform digitizes battlefield medical care, maintaining synchronized injury and treatment records across the full continuum—from point-of-injury through recovery. The AI component, FORGE-IT, enhances medics’ decision-making by monitoring patient status in real-time, prioritizing treatment based on evidence-based protocols, and detecting concerning patterns to reduce human error and accelerate intervention.
These technologies are integral to sustaining medical readiness and continuity during prolonged engagements. They accelerate trauma diagnostics, ensure accurate documentation, and facilitate efficient coordination among medics and higher-level care facilities. Furthermore, they support accelerated learning and training for medics through virtual platforms, preparing them for a wide range of battlefield injuries.
The DHA's efforts align with the Department of Defense's overall strategic adoption of AI in military health, focusing on responsible AI use to optimize readiness, policy, and health system management in conflict and peacetime.
The goal is creating an integrated healthcare record that follows service members from stateside facilities through combat zones and back. This is exemplified by "Theater Genesis," the deployed version of MHS Genesis, operational on hospital ships and in European theaters.
Dr. Stephen Ferrera, acting assistant secretary for Health Affairs, emphasizes that these technology investments honor the pact made with service members and their parents. He reiterates that the military health system is rethinking how it delivers care in wartime environments.
Cybersecurity and communication reliability in contested environments are concerns with the increased reliance on technology. However, military planners recognize cyberspace as part of the battlefield, presenting both opportunities and vulnerabilities. The DHA is deploying AI and virtual healthcare technology for future battlefield scenarios, striving to maintain high-quality care for combat casualties while navigating this digital frontier.
[1] Defense Health Agency. (2021, June 15). DHA's AI and Virtual Health Technologies Improve Battlefield Medicine. Retrieved from https://www.dha.mil/News/Articles/Article/2662138/dha-ais-and-virtual-health-technologies-improve-battlefield-medicine/
[2] U.S. Department of Defense. (2020, August 19). Joint Artificial Intelligence Center (JAIC) and Defense Health Agency (DHA) Announce Partnership to Advance AI in Military Health. Retrieved from https://www.dod.mil/news/joint-artificial-intelligence-center-jaic-and-defense-health-agency-dha-announce-partnership-to-advance-ai-in-military-health/
[3] BAE Systems. (2020, September 29). BATDOK® Wins 2020 Military & Aerospace Electronics Innovators Awards for Battlefield Healthcare. Retrieved from https://www.baesystems.com/en-us/about-us/news/2020/batdok-wins-2020-military-aerospace-electronics-innovators-awards-for-battlefield-healthcare
[4] Defense Health Agency. (2020, December 16). DHA Announces the Availability of MHS Genesis in European Theaters. Retrieved from https://www.dha.mil/News/Articles/Article/2582190/dha-announces-the-availability-of-mhs-genesis-in-european-theaters/
[5] U.S. Department of Defense. (2021, March 1). DoD Releases Artificial Intelligence Strategy. Retrieved from https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/2593229/dod-releases-artificial-intelligence-strategy/
- The integration of AI and virtual healthcare technologies in the military health system, as exemplified by Defense Health Agency's efforts, aims to optimize care for combat casualties, even in extended conflict scenarios, aligning with the Department of Defense's strategic adoption of AI.
- Advanced platforms like BAE Systems' FDA-cleared BATDOK® employ artificial intelligence to assist battlefield medics, digitizing medical care, maintaining synchronized records across the treatment continuum, and reducing human error through real-time patient monitoring and evidence-based treatment prioritization.
