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- Easier Ways for PACS/RIS End Users to Manage Applications and Desktop Environments
When change comes around, it's important to be flexible. Lots of change is occurring right now. When it was announced that the Army would draw down in Iraq by the end of this year, we began to consolidate our support and now all MC4 personnel have left Iraq. Now, there's a hand-off occurring in Afghanistan and Kuwait that we are assisting with.
MC4 has been supporting systems at the Craig Joint Theater Hospital (CJTH) in Bagram, Afghanistan, since 2006, but in January 2012 the Air Force will assume control of the electronic medical record (EMR). This transition is occurring because of changes in Army mission requirements in theater. After the next round of personnel rotations, the CJTH will switch from Army to Air Force EMR support, and the Air Force will begin supporting their EMR systems through their respective infrastructure program, TMIP Air Force.
[Related: The Military Medical Technologies Month that was.]
This should be a relatively easy transition, considering MC4 equipment is already setup and has been for years. The Air Force had procured MC4 laptops, servers and printers that are in place, so we'll be leaving those in place and transitioning with less baggage. We'll simply be on standby in the interim to ensure a smooth transition, providing additional hardware, software and technical support if necessary.
The Kuwait role 3 facility, supported by Expeditionary Medical Force (EMF) Kuwait is undergoing a similar transition. We have been coordinating with the Navy and TMIP Maritime as the Army is assuming responsibility of the hospital and clinic mission in Kuwait. Before the 325th Combat Support Hospital (CSH) arrived, MC4 equipment was set up and used by the Navy EMF. In preparation for the transition, we upgraded their systems with EMR 2.1.3.1 in September to ensure everything was up to date and ready for the CSH's arrival. In early November, MC4 trainers did what they do best–providing over-the-shoulder support as the CSH assumed responsibility.
Members of our clinical operations team will soon be arriving at Camp Bastion in Afghanistan to train up members of the 10th CSH who will be replacing the Navy staff serving there. The 10th CSH will be integrating into the hospital, which is led by the British, and we will provide a limited EMR capability for U.S. providers.
It's all doolally. Ta-ra!
This blog originally appeared in The Gateway, www.mc4.army.mil. For a recent blog post by MC4's Lt. Col. William Geesey, read: EMRs gone in 60 seconds.
