Development of a Patient Condition Occurrence Frequency (PCOF) Database for Military, Humanitarian Assistance, and Disaster Relief Medical Data

Abstract : The U.S. military is increasingly tasked to implement medical stability operations (MSOs). Current mandates by the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness establishes MSOs as a core U.S. military mission that the Military Health System (MHS) shall be prepared to conduct across the range of military operations (ROMO), including combat and noncombat environments. MSOs are given priority comparable to combat operations and are integrated across all MHS activities. However, programming the materiel resources in support of military operations that span the ROMO is contingent on accurately projecting the types of illness and injures that are likely to be received at deployed medical treatment facilities. This paper explains the methodology for developing accurate patient stream compositions for the ROMO. These missions include combat, noncombat, humanitarian assistance (HA), and disaster relief (DR) missions. This effort began with data development and then tool development. Using the Patient Condition Occurrence Frequency tool, a patient stream may be modified and adjustment factors may be applied to the scenario for age, gender, country, region, and more. The approach taken in this study leveraged available data collected after rigorous research. This research provided underlying data for a range of combat and noncombat missions.