Readiness in Deployed Field Hospitals: Identifying Clinical Sustainment Gaps

Area of Science:

• Military Medicine
• Emergency Medicine
• Surgical Readiness

Background:

• Role 3 Field Hospitals (FH) are critical for linking far-forward medical assets with facilities outside the operational area.
• Readiness paradigms in FH may lead to deficits in clinical skills and sustainment, especially for enlisted personnel.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the perceived clinical preparedness and identify gaps among personnel in deployed Field Hospitals.
• To compare the self-assessed preparedness of officers, providers, nurses, and enlisted personnel.

Main Methods:

• A survey was distributed to deployed FH clinical personnel.
• The survey queried demographics, pre-deployment clinical experience, and perceived preparedness using a Likert scale.

Main Results:

• Officers reported significantly more full-time clinical positions stateside than enlisted personnel (90% vs 8%).
• Only 37% of respondents believed enlisted personnel were well-prepared, compared to 88% for providers.
• 69% of respondents indicated that additional pre-deployment training could have prevented clinical errors.

Conclusions:

• Field Hospitals are essential for complex deployed care, particularly in large-scale combat operations.
• Gaps in clinical experience for enlisted personnel, unlike officers, are not well-mitigated by civilian partnerships or off-duty employment.
• Enhancing clinical opportunities for enlisted personnel is vital for ensuring optimal performance and delivering life-saving care in deployed settings.