Medical Communications for Combat Casualty Care : Army's MC4 commander earns 2007 Fed 100 Award

Defense AT&L, July-August, 2007

FORT DETRICK, Md. -- The Army's Medical Communications for Combat Casualty Care (MC4) commander, Lt. Col. Edward Clayson, was honored with the 2007 Federal Computer Week Fed 100 Award, which recognizes government individuals for their risk-taking, vision, and pioneering spirit in the federal IT community.

"Lt. Col. Clayson's and his team's efforts of fielding, training, and supporting medical IT systems on the battlefield have clearly led to improved battlefield medicine," said Lee Harvey, deputy program executive officer, Enterprise Information Systems. "Their hands-on approach yields firsthand insights into the likes and dislikes of medics and doctors, which the command uses to improve its systems."

Since taking over the reins of MC4 in 2005, Clayson has expanded the use of the system to all branches of the military, including Navy providers in Kuwait, Air Force providers in Afghanistan, as well as Army and Special Operations Forces units worldwide. As such, Clayso doubled the number of MC4 embedded support personnel, ensuring 30-plus trainers and administrators remain shoulder-to-shoulder with units in Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom.

"Our focus is simple--the servicemember is our top priority," said Clayson, MC4 product manager. "The MC4 system exists to benefit the servicemembers, so by having MC4 training and support alongside deployed medical professionals, units have the resources they need to complete the mission at hand."

In addition to expanding MC4 use, Clayson's MC4 team improved system functionality with the fielding of new medical logistics (DCAM) and electronic post-deployment health assessment (ePDHA) capabilities to the war zone. The comprehensive information management medical system has since been used to meet presidential and congressional directives set forth in Title 10, U.S.C., requiring the assessment of all servicemembers' medical conditions following deployment.

Following the Gulf War, in 1997 Congress mandated the Department of Defense establish a system to ensure every soldier, sailor, airman, and Marine has a comprehensive, lifelong medical record of all illnesses and injuries. Clayson and the MC4 team are responsible for integrating, fielding, and supporting a medical information management system that brings that ideal to fruition.

"The Federal 100 Awards program is an opportunity to look back and honor people who have risen to the occasion," said Christopher Dorobek, editor of Federal Computer Week magazine. "The 100 winners are the people who faced a variety of challenges and were determined to take a step forward and have a positive effect on people's lives."

To date, the MC4 system has been used to capture more than 2 million electronic health records on the battlefield. This represents the number of deployed service-members treated throughout Southwest Asia by better-informed healthcare providers, thus reducing the number of duplicate or unnecessary medical procedures. Servicemembers can now more easily access VA benefits through their complete, secure, electronic medical history.

Medical Communications for Combat Casualty Care (MC4) integrates, fields, and supports a medical information management system for Army tactical medical forces, enabling a comprehensive, lifelong electronic medical record for all servicemembers, and enhancing medical situational awareness for operational commanders. Headquartered at Fort Detrick, Md., MC4 is overseen by the Army Program Executive Office, Enterprise Information Systems (PEO EIS) at Fort Belvoir, Va.

For more information on MC4, visit <www.mc4.army.mil>.

Media contact: Ray Steen, MC4 Public Affairs. Call 301-815-5808 or e-mail ray.steen@us.army.mil.

Army Lt. Col. Edward Clayson Honored for Expanding Medical Recording Capabilities on the Battlefield