Estimating sustaining base-hospital personnel requirements during extended operations

This case study provides a unique method for estimating sustaining base military hospital personnel requirements during combat and stability operations while underscoring the need for such analysis before the commencement of combat operations. The requirement estimates are based on a major combat operation (MCO) scenario, which was extended to simulate stability operations. The scenario selected derived from Department of Defense strategic planning guidance as modeled by the Total Army Analysis (TAA). Since casualties experienced in combat result in additional workload for military hospitals, a mechanism for estimating that workload is required. A single scenario generated as part of an analysis for the acting Army surgeon general produced a median requirement of 1,299 additional full-time equivalents (FTEs) over the course of 36 months, highlighting a significant gap between capabilities and requirements.