Health Readiness

Spine surgery team adds capability, improves readiness

The benefits of performing complex surgeries in the orthopedic spine clinic go far beyond the operating room

Proper sleep hygiene as a force multiplier

Sleep is cheap; it costs nothing to rest troops properly, with proven, immediately realized returns

Army researchers develop tasty, healthy performance bar

Researchers aren’t working to provide recruits and soldiers with something that only tastes good; it has to make sense for their nutrition

Guard Soldier uses medical skills to save boy’s life

McKenzie just completed combat life-saving training and immediately began to triage the injuries the boy sustained in the fall

Norovirus

Beginning in 2011, the Operational Infectious Diseases (OID) laboratory at the Naval Health Research Center has undertaken routine surveillance of four U.S. military training facilities to systematically track the prevalence of acute gastroenteritis and to establish its etiologies among U.S. military recruits.

Leptospirosis

Leptospirosis: The presence of leptospirosis in the Republic of Korea (ROK) poses a potential threat to more than 40,000 U.S. Armed Forces personnel and their family members who reside in the ROK. This is the first published study for risk assessment of leptospirosis among U.S. Army soldiers assigned to the ROK.

Staphylococcus

Staphylococcus: Staphylococcus aureus is a major cause of skin and soft tissue infection (SSTI). Military personnel in congregate settings (e.g., training, deployment) are at increased risk for S. aureus colonization and SSTI. For a 7-month period in 2016, an observational cohort study of S. aureus colonization and SSTI among U.S. Navy submariners was ...

U.S. doctors save Italian patient hours from death

The patient had a fever, a very high heart rate and low oxygen levels

Trauma care reference body now woven into DHA combat support

The JTS mission is to provide evidence-based process improvement of trauma and combat casualty care to drive morbidity and mortality to the lowest possible levels, and to provide recommendations on trauma care and trauma systems across the Military Health System

Shanahan discusses medical readiness, DHA transfer at Womack

The fiscal year 2017 National Defense Authorization Act transfers the administration and management of military medical treatment facilities to the DHA beginning Oct. 1, 2018

Leaders come together to rehearse military healthcare transition

There should be zero impact on delivery of medical services that support readiness of the force

Acute Injuries

Service members in the U.S. Armed Forces frequently engage in high levels of physical activity to perform their duties, and such activity can potentially result in training- or duty-related injury. This report summarizes the incidence, trends, types, external causes, and dispositions of acute injuries among active component U.S. service members over ...

Food Allergy

Individuals with a history of food-allergy anaphylaxis or a systemic reaction to food do not meet military accession or retention standards and require a waiver in order to serve in the military. First-line treatment for anaphylaxis includes rapid administration of epinephrine.

Preparing for travel can prevent illness

Experts encourage travelers to be proactive about their travel medicine needs, including learning about the health risks associated with the destination and checking with their doctor to make sure they’re in good health

Global Influenza Summary: July 8, 2018