MEDICAL LESSONS LEARNED

File: aaata_15.txt
Page: 15
Total Pages: 36

MEDICAL LESSONS LEARNED
DESERT SHIELD/STORM

CATEGORY: Command and Control

ISSUE/ITEM NO:
SUBJECT: Reporting MEDRED-C

BACKGROUND: Revision of the MEDRED-C reporting format has been discussed for
quite some time. Incorporation to a Joint Message Text format is a long term
goal. In the interim, medical treatment facility personnel experienced great
difficulties in interpreting current AFR 55-55 instructions and requirements.

DISCUSSION: MEDRED-C reporting was required daily during Desert Storm.
Achieving-uniformity in reporting was a significant challenge. Bases without
seven day work week communications center support were excused from daily
reporting on a case-by-case basis. Medical treatment facilities not involved or
only minimally involved in Desert Storm support were resistant to the
requirement, and the need for their reports was questionable, particularly given
"minimize"". Efforts required to produce these reports may not have been
justified for the data actually generated.

ACTION RECOMMENDED:

(1) Develop DoD format 'for medical contingency reporting.

(2) Revise AFR 55-55 as appropriate.

(3) Require reports only from medical treatment facilities directly
affected by the contingency and only when changes in content occur.

SUGGESTED OPRs/OCRs: HQ USAF/SGHR
USN/SG
DA/SG

SUBMITTER: [(b)(2)] HQ ATC/SGAX