Operations DESERT SHIELD/DESERT STORM - Environmental Health Experience

File: 970207_aadch_023.txt
Page: 023
Total Pages: 46


      changes of the system, as were made in October and again in
      November, were perhaps inevitable. These changes did not take
      place without some confusion and misreporting. For example,
      three MTFs did not receive the October message and continued to
      report "miscellaneous medical conditions" under the code that had
      been changed (by the October message) to "sexually transmitted
      diseases" (STD). The resulting high STD rate was not only
      surprising, it was inaccurate.

           3. The USCENTAF reporting system didn't include case
      definitions. This caused some confusion and perhaps some
      reporting inconsistencies and data inaccuracies. For example,
      sunburn may have been reported as a dermatological condition
      rather than a heat injury.

           4. Communication between MTFs and USCENTAF was by message
      and telephone. Messages were not always received. This was in,
      part because until an AIG was created for all deployed MTFs, the
      location of each deployed MTF, including squadron medical
      elements, had to be known and listed individually on each
      message. In some cases SMEs redeployed and in others, the unit
      designation changed as wings grew and host units changed.
      Commercial and TAC telephone lines were set up and steadily
      improved, but were always completely overwhelmed bv the volume of
      calls.

           5. The USCENTCOM report format caused some confusion,
      especially regarding its "special categories". For example, the
      data collector would have to count a diarrhea case three times;
      once as a "GI", once as a "SPEC CAT", as once as "diarrhea!
      disease".

      VII. RECOMMENDATIONS:

          1. Define and publish a USAF DNBI reporting system for use
      by deployed MTFs. Compliment this system with computer software
      for MTFs and command use. This system should address the
      following issues:

              a. Report communicable/environmental conditions only.
      Specifically, consider deletion of ''medical illnesses" as a
      category.

               b. Specify which category of patients should be reported
     (e.g. USAF only compared to USAF base poculations or report cases
      of all services but indicate the service of each patient)

              c. Include case definitions for each syndrome.

      d. The report format should permit only one syndrome per
      line number to avoid confusion. There should be no double
      counting of cases.