Military medical surge capacity in times of war and natural disaster

Abstract

Background: The military medical services need demand-based strategies to ensure the best possible care of the injured in combat and natural disasters without compromising peacetime health care commitments at home and abroad.

Methods: A review of steps that have already been taken suggests that they are being used to their fullest extent commensurate with the public will. In fact, the situation has driven preliminary exploration of a special health care personnel draft. We believe the answer lies not in expanding the full-time, active duty US medical and nursing corps, but rather in tapping identifiable reservoirs of trained trauma care physicians, nurses, and allied health care workers in the United States and elsewhere.

Results: A rudimentary analysis suggests the most promising novel considerations are: developing special, trauma-trained reserve units within the US civilian trauma care community; seeking temporary attachments of an allied country's military medical officers, or a complete medical battalion; and contracting with US and foreign trauma surgeons, nurses and allied health personnel through a medical private military firm, analogous to those that have provided food, housing, transportation, and special combat units in support of our major military campaigns and peacekeeping operations.

Conclusion: These considerations have important pros and cons that deserve in-depth evaluation by the best military and civilian trauma/critical care and organizational minds within a structured organization committed to the needs of military medicine. We believe that a Military Medical Think Tank within the Uniformed Services University's postgraduate division should be that organization.