Application of health technology in humanitarian response: U.S. Military deployed health technology summit--a summary

Disasters are unpredictable, occurring without notice. They have a devastating effect and forever change the people they affect. We have witnessed the devastation from several significant events in 2010 and 2011, including the horrendous earthquakes in Haiti, Chili, New Zealand, and Japan. In the Japanese earthquake, a tsunami caused significant destruction to property and, of special concern, nuclear power plants along the Pacific Ocean, which will likely have a lasting impact worldwide. In a number of these events, the U.S. Military is often called upon to provide some level of support to help in the immediate aftermath. In early 2010, a massive earthquake struck the island nation of Haiti. In the days that followed, there was a significant influx of help from both military and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). Although the response was not coordinated in any significant way, there was, nevertheless, wide application of various technologies as never before. Aside for the need to respond rapidly and efficiently, the U.S. Military is especially interested in how to utilize technology in a better way both internally and with NGOs. In the fall of 2010, the U.S. Army's Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center partnered with the American Telemedicine Association to bring together a group of experts from industry, government, and academia to assess the challenges and opportunities for applying technologies not only in combat missions but for humanitarian response as well. This article summarizes the "U.S. Military Deployed Health Technology Summit" held on September 29, 2010, in Baltimore, Maryland, highlighting significant points. It presents a balance of capabilities across a broad spectrum of technologies and will help the U.S. Military in defining a roadmap for research and development to strengthen its ability to respond in future disasters and humanitarian events.