Army Battlefield EMR Upgraded
The long awaited MC4 upgrade happening soon
Known as Medical Communications for Combat Casualty Care and commonly referred to as the MC4 system, the Army battlefield EMR system will be upgraded in April. The upgrades, when implemented, will ensure that any soldiers wounded on the battlefield will have a permanent and detailed account of their injuries, the scenario in which their injuries were received, as well as the treatment they received.
According to Healthcare IT News, "The most significant change MC4 customers will notice, officials say, is an upgraded operating system, EMR 2.2.0.0. With the upgraded system, each MC4 standalone system and server will require public key infrastructure - equipment, or PKI-E certificates. The PKI-E certificates will enhance security and assure the integrity of information transmitted through networks, according to officials." Additionally, the system will include an "improvement to patient safety as it relates to allergies and medication history."
Lt. Col. Keith Harley, assistant product manager for MC4 explained, "What's important for soldiers to know about the upgrade is that they will continue to receive improved documentation of their care. And that gives reassurance to them when they leave the Army and are filing a claim with the Veterans Administration that their care has been documented.
"When that laptop is connected to the Internet, the documentation becomes available to any provider in the world with access to the system. In theater, we capture data in a repository known as the theater medical data store. That allows all information to be available to providers anywhere in the treatment of that soldier from the time of point-of-injury all the way to the time he's evacuated to places like Walter Reed or San Antonio."
This upgrade has been in the works for quite some time, according to The Gateway, which explains, “MC4 captures health information for Soldiers when they receive care in garrison and downrange. The system data helps ensure that Soldiers have a secure, accessible, and lifelong EMR, resulting in easier access to medical benefits, peace of mind and better informed health care. MC4 is more than an EMR system. It offers commanders the ability to assess unit readiness with injury and trauma data and also provides tools for automating medical logistics."