Medical Readiness
The Military Health System (MHS) identifies, develops, and sustains critical military capability and readiness in support of resource management and the operational planning process. Medical Readiness ensures Service members are free of health-related conditions that limit ability to actively fulfill an assigned mission. MHS examines all factors which stress the deployed force and seek to improve the success of the Service member within the psychological, physical and ethical behavior domain both on the battlefield and between deployments.
The goals of Medical Readiness include:
- Managing warfighter fatigue is the ability to evaluate fatigue and monitor its effects on warfighter performance. Fatigue management is a proactive initiative in predicting warfighter performance and counter the effects of fatigue.
- Enhancing warfighter sensory cognitive and motor capabilities is the ability to enhance and sustain human performance within three domains: sensory, cognitive, and physical activities. Addressing these abilities in individual warfighters aids in commanders’ decision making.
- Enhancing physiological capability is the ability to improve success of the warfighter within the physiological domain: neuroprotection (to decrease brain injury), manipulation of metabolic processes (related to water intake, nutrition, and waste production), enhanced ability to withstand trauma, and maintained/enhanced performance despite the stressors of military operations.
- Providing/maintaining ability to operate across the full range of environments is the ability to perform in flight environments, kinetic and highly-explosive environments, extreme climates, space, underwater environments, chemical/biological/radiological/nuclear (CBRN) environments, and directed-energy environments.
- Providing a healthy and fit force is the ability to provide and enhance a healthy and fit force throughout the continuum from accession to veteran. This includes optimizing health/fitness of peacetime forces, maintaining health/fitness of deployed forces, and ensuring the physical and mental health of redeployed Service members to original optimal levels.
To achieve these goals, MHS develops and implements a series of health assessments and readiness tools to support the Service member during peace and deployments and to assess the surge capabilities required for war. These include:
Post Deployment Health Assessments
The purpose of Post Deployment Health Assessment (PDHA) screening is to review each service member's current health, mental health or psychosocial issues commonly associated with deployments, special medications taken during the deployment, possible deployment-related occupational/environmental exposures, and to discuss deployment-related health concerns. Positive responses to the questionnaire require the use of supplemental assessment tools and/or referrals for medical consultation. The medical provider will document concerns and referral needs and discuss resources available to help resolve any post-deployment issues with the Service member.
The Post-Deployment Health Reassessment (PDHRA) Program is a new program mandated by the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs and designed to identify and address health concerns, with specific emphasis on mental health, that have emerged over time since deployment. The PDHRA provides for a second health assessment using DD Form 2900 during the three- to six-month time period after return from deployment, ideally at the three to four month mark. The reassessment is scheduled for completion before the end of 180 days after return so that Reserve Component members have the option of treatment using their TRICARE health benefit.
Periodic Health Assessments (PHA)
An annual periodic assessment is conducted to closely monitor the health status of our Active Duty and Select Reserve Components, especially changes that could impact a member’s ability to perform military duties and to provide timely, evidence-based preventive health care, information, counseling, treatment or testing as appropriate.
Dental Readiness
The Oral Health and Readiness Classification System is to help commanders estimate how many of their soldiers are likely to require treatment for dental emergencies during a deployment. Commanders can minimize personnel losses to treatment or MEDEVAC by ensuring that as many soldiers as possible are Dental Class 1 prior to deployment.
Immunization Status
To effectively prevent infectious diseases in the deployed as well as non-deployed environments, vaccines provide a safe and effective means of countering the threats to personal health and military readiness. Immunizations are monitored and kept current. Pre-deployment immunizations for all personnel include Hepatitis A, MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella), Td, influenza and typhoid. Selected personnel may require other vaccines as dictated by appropriate medical authority.
Medical Readiness Laboratory Studies
Required studies for DoD are current HIV testing and a DNA sample on file in the Armed Forces Repository of Specimen Samples for the Identification of Remains (AFRSSIR).
Individual Medical Equipment
Medical equipment is monitored and disseminated as appropriate for deploying Service members to fulfill their mission, such as eyeglasses, hearing protection and protective equipment.