Medical Evaluations Describing Interoperability Capability Assessment Levels of Partner Trauma Institutions or Non-Battle Injury Services

The Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) Center for Global Health Engagement (CGHE) developed a framework, Medical Evaluations Describing Interoperability Capability Assessment Levels Of Partner Trauma Institutions Or Non-battle injury Services (MEDICAL OPTIONS), to collect, refine, and centralize information regarding the capabilities of Partner Nation medical facilities, often collected through medical capabilities surveys. A CGHE-led evaluation team conducted a needs assessment to inform relevant MEDICAL OPTIONS stakeholders of the ways in which medical capability surveys, along with the proper facilitation thereof, can support more efficient and effective pre-deployment planning and delivery of expeditionary care to U.S. service members. The team employed a mixed-methods approach to perform the assessment and formulate recommendations. Findings are based on three lines of effort: 1) a content analysis of existing medical capability surveys, 2) focus group discussions with individuals whose roles involve conducting or utilizing these surveys, and 3) a literature review to identify best practices for conducting medical capability surveys by other government agencies and international organizations. This presentation will elucidate these findings, as well as the proposed recommendations, which aim to illuminate common limitations of current survey practices, develop guidance on the future use of medical capabilities surveys, and ultimately, support the creation of a cohesive knowledge management framework, a core MEDICAL OPTIONS objective.