The Casualty Network System Capstone Project

Abstract

Passing patient information ahead of time to providers charged with assuming their medical care has been shown to improve the quality of medical care. On todays battlefield there is minimal to no ability to pass medical information ahead of time about those wounded in combat. The limited ability to adequately hand off patients in combat leads to a significant potential for medical errors. Current technology exists to facilitate the electronic transfer of casualty information ahead of time by the ground force network. By linking the ground force with the evacuation team and trauma teams, the problem of battlefield handoffs can be greatly reduced. This capstone project first describes the current problem of battlefield patient handoffs. The project next explores the tactical network as a solution, suggesting specific attributes of an ideal system. Finally, this project explores applications for a Casualty Network System and discusses how such a system should be implemented.