Technology Offers High-tech Patient Monitoring

     Members of the Wilford Hall Medical Center Critical Care Air Transport Team (CCATT) are currently testing technology designed to improve patient care in the air.

     The latest advancement in remote monitoring capability-the medical heads-up display, or MHUD-was brought here by technicians from the Air Warfare Battlelab at Mountain Home Air Force Base, ID.

     "The battlelab's mission is to bring new technology to the military that makes them lighter, leaner and, in this case, more lifesaving," says Major Andrea Vinyard, deputy of expeditionary combat support and chief of medical operations at the battlelab.

     The MHUD is a stand-alone, battery-operated computer system with a band that fits over a person's head. The band, which fits under a battle dress uniform cap, has a small, transparent screen that folds down to cover one eye.

     "HUD systems are being used by Army stryker brigades in Iraq. They use them to pull up maps and other details needed during their missions," says Major Mike Meyer, MD, medical director of the pediatric intensive care flight here. "The MHUD is a direct application of military battle technology in the medical community. Its goal is to serve as a force multiplier while improving the standards of patient monitoring in austere environments."

     The MHUD can use all Windows applications, plug into any keyboard and connect to a shared drive.

     "The MHUD is a good idea for CCATT and expeditionary medical support teams. It would give us eye-level monitoring capability for numerous patients," says Captain Shaun Westphal, CCATT pilot unit nurse manager. "When we are flying, we would always know what is going on with all our patients, no matter where we are on the plane."

     A CCATT is a three-member team comprised of a critical care physician, critical care nurse and respiratory therapist. The team's mission is to operate an intensive care unit in an aircraft cabin during flight.

     "A team normally transports six patients at the most," says Westphal. "However, during our Hurricane Katrina transports last year, some flights carried up to 40 patients. This technology would have really helped during those trips."

     For more information on the MHUD, visit www.af.mil.