Integrating Battlefield Documentation into Virtual Reality Medical Simulation Training: Virtual Battlefield Assisted Trauma Distributed Observation Kit (BATDOK)

Abstract

Introduction: Clinical documentation is an essential component of the provision of medical care, enabling continuity of information across provider and site handoffs. This is particularly important in the combat casualty care setting when a single casualty may be treated by four or more or five completely disparate teams across the roles of care. The Battlefield Assisted Trauma Distributed Observation Kit (BATDOK) is a digital battlefield clinical documentation system developed by the Air Force Research Laboratory to address this need. To support the deployment of this tool, we integrated BATDOK into a commercially available virtual reality (VR) medical simulation platform used by the U.S. Air Force and Defense Health Agency personnel in order to provide an immersive simulation training experience which included battlefield documentation.

Methods: A multidisciplinary team consisting of medical educators, VR simulation engineers, emergency physicians and pararescuemen, and BATDOK developers first developed a specification for a virtual BATDOK capability, including a detailed listing of learning objectives, critical interfaces and task plans, and sensor integrations. These specifications were then implemented into the commercially available Virtual Advancement of Learning for Operational Readiness VR Medical Simulation System and underwent developmental testing and evaluation during pararescueman training exercises at the Air Force Special Operations Command Special Operations Center for Medical Integration and Development.

Results and conclusions: The BATDOK capability was successfully implemented within the VR Medical Simulation System. The capability consisted of a virtual tablet with replicated interfaces and capabilities based on the developed specifications. These capabilities included integrated point-of-care ultrasound capability, multi-patient management, vitals sign monitoring with sensor pairing and continuous monitoring, mechanism of injury documentation (including injury pattern documentation), intervention logging (including tourniquets, dressing, airways, lines, tubes and drains, splints, fluids, and medications), and event logging. The capability was found to be operational and in alignment with learning objectives and user acceptance goals.