Coordination between NATO allies is vitally important to maintain the mutually -supporting alliance. This remains ever more important with the continued conflict in Ukraine.

Last month, NATO conducted its annual Coalition Warrior Interoperability eXploration, eXperimentation, eXamination, eXercise 2022, or CWIX 22. This interoperability exercise provides a controlled environment for NATO and partner nations to design, build, and test interoperability into command and control capabilities.

This year Poland hosted the event at the Joint Force Training Center (JFTC) in Bydgoszcz, Poland.

During the exercise U.S. Defense Health Agency leaders engaged with representatives from Belgium, Finland, the Netherlands, and Poland to execute the CWIX medical focus area from the JFTC and several virtual locations. Their goal was to test OpenAHLTA and other novel technologies to enhance patient tracking, commander decision-making, and secure electronic transmission of health treatment records through the continuum of care and back to a patient’s home nation.

“Day-zero, multi-national interoperability among allied and partner Nations is essential for enhanced care of warfighters, decision support on the battlefield, and response to disasters and other medical threats,” explained Mark Goodge, chair of the NATO Committee of the Chiefs of Military Medical Services (COMEDS) Health Information Systems & Technology Working Group (HIST-WG).

DHA representatives led the medical exercise by testing OpenAHLTA with other technology, such as the NATO First Responder App to monitor patient vitals, direct patient flow, optimize patient care and resources, inform the common operating picture, and transmit electronic health records through the roles of care. Additionally, the DHA team tested the Theater Operational Medicine Advanced Hardened Warfare Kit (TOMAHAWK) or “Hospital in a Box”, a powerful server that can be easily deployed to support field medical treatment facilities.

“We are proud to leverage OpenAHLTA with other technologies, such as TOMAHAWK, to bring NATO and Partner Nations one step closer to the secure, real-time, electronic exchange of patient information from point of injury back to a soldier’s home nation,” Goodge stated. “Providing better information, faster, to the right decision makers saves lives and prepares the alliance for day zero interoperability.”