Skip main navigation

Military Health System

Walter Reed National Military Medical Center Facilities Challenges

The center experienced issues from burst frozen pipes and subsequent water damage. >>Learn more.

2024 Lays the Foundation for Using Artificial Intelligence in Military Medicine

Image of Doctor holding an Ipad. In 2024, the Military Health System made significant strides in laying the groundwork for understanding and implementing artificial intelligence into military medicine. (Image by Graphic credit: Sofia Echelmeyer, Uniformed Services University).

As the Military Health System continues its mission to deliver high-quality health care to service members, retirees, and their families, it must also prepare for a future driven by innovation.

“In 2024, the Department of Defense and the MHS made significant progress in laying the foundation for integration, adoption, and use of trustworthy artificial intelligence in military medicine,” said Ms. Seileen Mullen, the acting assistant secretary of defense for health affairs. Key accomplishments include:

Comprehensive Inventory of AI Use Cases

In January 2024, the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs completed a comprehensive inventory of AI use cases across military medicine. This initiative identified over 120 active projects, spanning areas such as machine learning and predictive models for mental health, image processing for radiology, genomics and omics, natural language processing to streamline the review of clinical notes, and multiple generative AI applications for training and education.

“The inventory coordinated through my office highlighted the breadth and depth of advanced analytical applications already underway to support the health and readiness of our beneficiaries,” said Mullen.

Strengthening AI Collaboration

The spring of 2024 saw significant progress in fostering collaboration with internal and external government agencies, including the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Food and Drug Administration.

“These partnerships were critical to make sure the MHS remains aligned with broader federal AI initiatives,” stated Mullen.

In addition, regular coordination meetings with the DOD Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office, the Defense Health Agency, and the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences created a unified approach to AI innovation in military medicine.

Policy and Strategy

In the summer of 2024, HA, in collaboration with USU, finalized the MHS Digital Health Strategy. This strategy outlined a comprehensive plan to integrate digital health and AI technologies into military medicine, focusing on improving patient outcomes, operational readiness, and system efficiencies.

By fall, HA released the memo, “Planning Guidance for Artificial Intelligence in Health Care.” This document highlights seven key areas to serve as priorities for the soon-to-be established digital health policy council, a key pillar of the MHS governance structure.

Responsible Use of AI

During the fall of 2024, HA, in collaboration with the DOD CDAO, completed the generative artificial intelligence "red teaming" exercise. This effort aimed to identify potential vulnerabilities, biases, and risks associated with these systems in the context of military medicine. Over 200 participants, including clinical providers and health care analysts from the DHA, USU, and the services participated in the exercise, which compared three of the most popular large language models. The exercise uncovered over 800 findings of potential biases and vulnerabilities related to using these capabilities for clinical note summarization and as a medical advisory chatbot.

“These findings will play a crucial role in shaping DOD policies on the implementation of responsible AI in military medicine,” said Mullen.

Looking Ahead to 2025

Leveraging the groundwork laid in 2024, the MHS will focus on operationalizing AI technologies, integrating AI into clinical workflows, and demonstrating the tangible impact of AI on military medicine.

You also may be interested in...

Article
Jan 10, 2025

Uniformed Services University President Dr. Jonathan Woodson Reflects on Accomplishments in 2024

USU President Dr. Jonathan Woodson speaking on a panel

From bringing the current student body to more than 8,500 to contributing to a potential cure for rabies, the Uniformed Services University has worked tirelessly to foster another year of innovative learning, groundbreaking research, and numerous awards and accomplishments, said president.

Topic
Dec 27, 2024

Healthcare Technology

Healthcare technology is any technology, including medical devices, IT systems, algorithms, artificial intelligence, and more designed to support healthcare organizations.

Article
Aug 23, 2024

Military Health Information Technology Focus of DHITS 2024

Military Health Information Technology Focus of DHITS 2024

The 2024 Defense Health Information Technology Symposium kicked off in Dallas, Texas, Aug. 20 with Pat Flanders, chief information officer for the Defense Health Agency, touching on the Department of Defense’s efforts to modernize the health care system, enterprise intelligence and data solutions, the DHA’s Digital Front Door, and IT modernization.

Skip subpage navigation
Refine your search
Last Updated: January 10, 2025
Follow us on Instagram Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on Facebook Follow us on X Follow us on YouTube Sign up on GovDelivery