Telemedicine at the Joint Readiness Training Center: Expanding Forward Medical Capability

The US Army's transition from counterinsurgency operations to preparation for large-scale combat operations is likely to bring unique access to care challenges on the battlefield. Ruggedized computer systems exist that allow forward medical personnel to establish telehealth connections with rear-based specialists. We describe our use of one such device during simulated force on force operations at the Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC).

Our infantry brigade combat team brought a telehealth device to JRTC 20-02. The device comprised a mobile laptop and peripheral medical devices. We used the Warfighter Information Network-Tactical Increment 2 Tactical Communications Node (TCN) to establish communication between the device and external entities. We sought to establish connectivity in the Fort Polk, LA, cantonment area as part of reception, staging, onward movement, and integration operations.

We successfully executed video calls from the field utilizing the telehealth device at the JRTC rear aid station and the local military treatment facility on Fort Polk, LA. We also executed calls to our home station military treatment facility on Fort Carson, CO. Each of these calls lasted approximately five minutes with sustained high-quality video and audio feeds.

Our experience provides proof of concept that telehealth may enable rear-based medical personnel to expand the medical capabilities of medics based forward in the battlespace. Telehealth devices may prove feasible for use with strictly tactical communications architecture in the kinetic setting of large scale combat operations.