Enhancing interoperability among enlisted medical personnel
Subtitle: a case study of military surgical technologists
By: Harry J. Thie ... [et al.].
Contributors: Thie, Harry.
Publisher: RAND
Published: 2009
Place of publication: Santa Monica, CA
Language: eng
Number of pages: 174
ISBN-13: 9780833046246
Subjects: United States. -- Army -- Operating room technicians -- Training of; Fort Sam Houston (Tex.)
Description: One way to enhance the interoperability of medical service personnel is by training service specialists to a common standard. A methodology is outlined for defining a common standard of practice (SOP) that can be applied to any enlisted medical specialty with the goal of consolidating training for enlisted military personnel across the services. The methodology involves three analytic tasks: Define a common SOP for the specialty, validate it through reviews by military and civilian subject matter experts, and identify a set of training options that will result in the required number of specialists trained to a given level of proficiency. The methodology is illustrated by applying it to the military surgical technologist specialty. The authors examine the commonality of work across services rather than commonality of training as currently provided to define a common scope of practice. They identify and evaluate different training methods and different ways of obtaining qualified medical personnel. However, the authors note that achieving common training is a necessary but not sufficient condition for achieving interoperability and that interoperability may be more easily achieved in future years as other transformational initiatives are implemented.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references.