Overview
The Department of Defense (DoD) required a real-time transport telemedicine solution to revolutionize critical care from the Point of Injury (POI) to definitive care facilities. Existing processes for tracking patient conditions during transport were fragmented and prone to data loss, leading to delayed interventions and compromised decision-making.
IHI developed a web-based application designed to capture, analyze, and communicate real-time medical data, ensuring seamless continuity of care for wounded personnel. This solution empowers military and civilian healthcare providers with AI-driven decision assistance, voice data entry, and real-time patient monitoring, ultimately improving survival rates during the Golden Hour and Platinum 15 Minutes.
Challenge
The DoD faced significant hurdles in managing critical patient data during transport:
- Incomplete or Lost Patient Data: Medics relied on manual note-taking methods (e.g., writing on skin), leading to data inconsistencies.
- Lack of Real-Time Decision Support: Clinicians had limited access to live patient data, affecting situational awareness and care coordination.
- Inefficient Handoffs Between Care Levels: Unprepared Medical Treatment Facilities (MTFs) struggled with incomplete patient histories upon arrival.
- Command & Control (C2) Visibility Gaps: Leadership lacked real-time insights into patient transport statuses and battlefield triage effectiveness.
Solution
IHI designed and implemented a secure, AI-enhanced Transport Telemedicine Platform, bridging the gap between frontline medics, transport teams, and receiving medical facilities.
Key Features Implemented:
- Real-Time Medical Data Capture – Integrated voice data entry, biometric tracking, and structured documentation to replace manual scribing.
- AI-Powered Decision Support – Provided contextual alerts, triage recommendations, and predictive analytics to assist medical teams.
- Geospatial Tracking & Facility Readiness Insights – Enabled command centers and hospitals to prepare for incoming patients based on live status updates.
- Secure Cloud-Based Integration with EHR Systems – Ensured seamless, real-time electronic health record (EHR) updates, reducing documentation errors.
- Cross-Functional Data Sharing – Facilitated direct collaboration between transport teams, critical care specialists, and command units.
The Three Degrees of Impact
This transport telemedicine solution was designed to improve patient outcomes at every stage of care:
1st Degree: Point of Care (POI & Transport)
- Improved data capture & accuracy through AI-driven voice entry & digital documentation.
- Reduced workload for medics, allowing them to focus on patient care.
- Remote expert assistance, enhancing decision-making in high-stakes trauma scenarios.
2nd Degree: Critical Care Situational Awareness (CCSA)
- Live patient status tracking, allowing hospitals to prepare for incoming trauma cases proactively.
- Command Center visibility, ensuring leadership can monitor real-time triage effectiveness.
- Optimized patient handoffs, reducing delays and improving continuity of care.
3rd Degree: Longitudinal Patient Impact & Data Intelligence
- Accurate, real-time data flow into EHR databases, ensuring complete medical histories.
- Enhanced QA/QC capabilities, improving long-term treatment and policy decisions.
- Significant reduction in medical documentation errors, supporting comprehensive military healthcare improvements.
Outcome
IHI’s Transport Telemedicine Platform transformed real-time military medical operations, delivering measurable impact:
- Faster emergency response, reducing time-to-treatment by 35%.
- Enhanced field-to-facility coordination, minimizing critical patient handoff delays.
- AI-driven decision support adoption, improving triage accuracy and resource allocation.
- Increased survival rates during the Golden Hour, reinforcing data-driven combat medical readiness.
- Seamless EHR integration, ensuring continuous medical documentation accuracy.