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File: 970207_aadcv_002.txtTOPIC AREA: COMMAND, CONTROL, COMMUNICATION (C3) SUBMITTED BY: HQ AFRES/SGXO ISSUE: Automation support requirements for aeromedical evacuation needs to be determined and standardized. OBSERVATION: Sufficient and standardized automated support for aeromedical evacuation was not available to most deployed aeromedical evacuation management elements. DISCUSSION: The CONOPS forecast a potential workload into/out of RAF Upper Heyford of nearly 1,900 patients per day. There currently are automated patient management systems designed to manage and manifest patients. We were notified that HQ MAC anticipated testing these systems under wartime conditions at RAF Upper Heyford. We were informed by HQ MAC/SGAM that APES , (Automated Patient Evacuation System), the peacetime aeromedical patient management system would be available upon arrival at RAF Upper Heyford. However, the APES was not made available to AECE personnel at any of the three sites in the United Kingdom. The APES automated system was designed to manage patients in the aeromedical evacuation and it could have assisted us in managing the projected workload of 1,900 patients per day at RAF Upper Heyford. Three separate computerized patient management systems (one at each site), in addition to the JMRO DMRIS, were used in the UK. Two were developed locally (RAF Upper Heyford and RAF Waddington) and the third (RAF Mildenhall) was directed to be used by HQ USAFE personnel. HQ MAC sent three persons TDY for several weeks to evaluate the Passenger Reservation Automated Manifest System (PRAMS). However, PRAMS was not in use at RAF Upper Heyford. These persons instead analyzed the automated software used to support aeromedical evacuation at RAF Upper Heyford, RAF Mildenhall, and RAF Waddington. PRAMS was evaluated at RAF Mildenhall. We also are aware of an automated crew management system, CASS (Crew Management Scheduling System), used in MAC to track DNIF, flying hours, etc., for flight crews. We tried both prior and subsequent to deployment, without success, to obtain this automated system. We developed our own automated crew management system resulting in duplication of tried and tested software. We discovered an automated system used in the UK to publish MAC Form 41, Flight Authorization. We obtained and modified the program for our needs. Since CASS also publishes the MAC 41, we believe it would have been in the government's best interest to provide CASS to aeromedical evacuation units for evaluation, and to assist in crew management activities. The same is equally applicable for patient tracking and documentation systems currently in use. Since Air Force Reserve units desire and are expected to provide professional results when activated, it would be practical to actively take steps to provide all available management software to Reserve units for training and testing purposes. 1
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