Medical Evacuation Concepts

Study Notes

Medical Evacuation Concepts

Medical Evacuation: Aim is to transport wounded, injured, or ill service members quickly to appropriate medical facilities.
MEDEVAC: Involves moving casualties using dedicated medical vehicles with onboard medical personnel for patient care during transit.
CASEVAC: Refers to transporting casualties using non-medical vehicles without dedicated medical personnel, lacking en route patient care.

Aeromedical Evacuation

Aeromedical Evacuation: Process of transporting personnel needing medical care between Medical Treatment Facilities (MTFs) via cargo aircraft like C-130, C-17, C-5.
Eligibility: Includes active duty, dependents, retired military, and varying beneficiaries; valid military ID must be checked.
Advantages: Offers quick access to medical care, route flexibility, in-flight treatment, smooth transport, and improved patient morale.

Reasons for Evacuation

Medical Reasons: Insufficient local medical facilities, staff, or equipment.
Administrative Reasons: Prolonged hospitalization or legal requirements.
Personal Reasons: Family issues, patient morale, or family illness.

Roles in Patient Movement

Attending Physician: Determines the need for patient transfer, completes necessary forms, and assesses required accompaniment or equipment.
Patient Movement Clerk (PMC): Validates forms, coordinates movements via TRAC2ES, and manages transportation logistics for patient transfers.
Aeromedical Evacuation Coordinating Officer: Supervises clerks and ensures effective evacuation protocols from initial notification to airborne status.

Movement Precedence and Patient Classification

Movement Precedence: Classifies urgency for patient transport—urgent, priority, and routine based on life-saving needs and timing.
Patient Classification: Categorizes patients (Classes 1-6) for evacuation based on medical needs, ability to move, and type of required accommodations.
- Class 1: Neuropsychiatric patients (with subsections for severity)
- Class 2: Litter patients (immobile or mobile)
- Class 3: Ambulatory patients
- Class 4: Infants (with specific requirements)
- Class 5: Outpatients (differentiated by treatment needs)
- Class 6: Attendants (both medical and non-medical)

Patient Movement Phases

Forward Phase: Patients within combat zones.
Tactical Phase: Patients outside combat zones.
Strategic Phase: Movement from overseas to CONUS.
Domestic Phase: Transfers within the U.S. and territories.

TRAC2ES Overview

TRAC2ES: Automated system for coordinating aeromedical evacuations, integrating logistics, transportation, and medical decision-making.
TRAC2ES-Web & Mobile: Platforms for data entry and management; Mobile allows for operations in low connectivity areas.
In-Transit Visibility (ITV): Tracks patient movement and locations during transit to maintain situational awareness.

Reporting and Validation

Patient Movement Requirement Center (PMRC): Coordinates evacuations, validates medical requirements, and schedules patient transportation.
Bed/Medical Capability Reporting: TRAC2ES reports medical capabilities at MTFs for contingency planning.

Key Data Points

Patient Movement Requests (PMR): Handled by clerks via TRAC2ES to manage patient data and logistics.
Mission Manifest: Offers vital information about patient needs and transport arrangements.
Documentation: Includes DA Form 3899 for transfer orders and AF Form 3899 for classification.

Acronyms and Memory Aids

Acronyms summarizing classifications: Crazy (Psychiatric), Little (Litter), Walking (Ambulatory), Babies (Infants), Out for (Outpatients), Drinks (Attendants).

Description

This quiz covers essential concepts related to medical evacuation, including MEDEVAC and CASEVAC definitions and procedures. It also addresses aeromedical evacuation practices, eligibility criteria, and the advantages of using cargo aircraft for medical transport. Test your knowledge on the critical aspects of emergency medical transport dynamics.