In the opening scene of the iconic film The Silence of the Lambs, FBI trainee Clarice Starling drives in search of her prey – Hannibal Lecter. Similarly, this year’s DoD/VA & Government Health IT Summit attendees are driving toward a unified, interoperable federal EHR to enable high-quality patient-centered care.
The Defense Health Information Technology Symposium (DHITS) is a three-day annual conference that connects government and military healthcare professionals with industry information technology companies to showcase cutting-edge solutions. The symposium is sponsored by the Defense Health Agency and offers Department of Defense healthcare professionals an opportunity to lean in to the Military Health System transformation.
This year, the focus at DHITS will be on the future of battlefield medical documentation and the evolution of the military’s electronic health record (EHR). The EHR will provide an integrated system that supports all service members regardless of where they are deployed or what kind of equipment they have. It will also help the military’s EHRs connect to each other and external data sources, such as state immunization registries, to better understand what the warfighter is experiencing and prevent future illnesses.
One of the most promising projects that was selected at DHITS 2023 to be part of the EHR is a mobile application called BATDOK, developed by Air Force Research Laboratory researchers. It replaces paper with a smartphone-based tool that allows medics to document battlefield injuries and treatment through the touch of buttons. The software has been used in operational exercises with the Department of Defense services and allied forces in the United Kingdom, Morocco, Australia, and elsewhere.
AFRL’s 711th Human Performance Wing is the lead developer of the BATDOK software and will continue to drive it forward under a contract with the Defense Health Program. The AFRL team is led by Lt. Col. Michael Sedillo and is composed of several engineers from the 711th’s Combat Casualty Care Division.
What is the Defense Health IT Summit?
The Defense Health Information Technology Symposium is a three-day annual event that brings together government, military, and industry healthcare information technology professionals to discuss the latest innovations and advancements in medical simulation, electronic health records, telemedicine, and cybersecurity. This summit provides a unique opportunity to share knowledge and ideas in a non-partisan, collaborative, and educational town hall-style format.
This year, the summit will focus on how the Department of Defense plans to implement a technologically driven future ensuring patient-centered care for all veterans and active duty service members. The program will feature panel discussions, keynote presentations, and exhibits that showcase the most cutting-edge technologies and innovative solutions from government and industry partners.
In addition to the conference sessions, attendees will be able to visit the expo and meet one-on-one with vendors in a time-efficient manner. The exposition will feature exhibitors from a variety of industries, including military simulation, telemedicine, and augmented reality/virtual reality.
The 2023 Defense Health IT Summit will feature Pentagon officials, multiple Navy Command & Base Officials, Military Contracting Officers, Financing Experts, and Business Leaders nationwide. The event is hosted by ACI and takes place under Chatham House rules, allowing attendees to network in person and virtually without needing press coverage or disclosing participants’ names or affiliations.