Military medicine
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Maternal obstetric morbidity is a growing concern in the USA, where rates of maternal morbidity exceed Europe and most developed countries. Prior studies have found that obstetric case volume affects maternal morbidity, with low-volume facilities having higher rates of morbidity. However, these studies were done in civilian healthcare systems that are different from the Military Health System (MHS). This study evaluates whether obstetric case volume impacts severe maternal morbidity (SMM) in military hospitals located in the continental United States. ⋯ This study shows no difference in SMM rates in the MHS based on obstetric case volume. This is consistent with previous studies showing differences in MHS patient outcomes compared to civilian healthcare systems. The MHS is unique in that it provides families with universal healthcare coverage and access and provides care for approximately 40,000 deliveries annually. There may be unique lessons on volume and outcomes in the MHS that can be shared with healthcare planners and decision makers to improve care in the civilian setting.
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Thematic Analysis of Military Medical Ethics Publications From 2000 to 2020-A Bibliometric Approach.
There has been external criticism of the compliance of military health personnel with internationally agreed principles in military medical ethics (MME). In response, a number of authors have called for clarity on the principles and topics within the domain of MME. This complements an increased acknowledgment of the need for education in MME for military health personnel. Our paper utilizes bibliometric techniques to identify key themes in MME to inform the development of a curriculum for this subject. ⋯ This study has identified key themes that might inform the development of a curriculum for teaching MME. It is noticeable that the majority of themes cover MME from the perspective of professional practice on military operations; noting, the research and technology themes also pertain to the generation of knowledge for military operations. There were a limited number of publications covering practice in the non-deployed or garrison settings, and these were codified under the themes of "framework" and "dual loyalty". The results are skewed toward English-speaking countries and exclude non-academic publications. Further work will search for other open-source information and non-English publications. To our knowledge, this exploratory bibliometric analysis on MME in the academic literature is the first of its kind. This article has demonstrated the use of bibliometric techniques to evaluate the evolution of knowledge in MME, including the identification of key themes. These will be used to support further work to develop a curriculum for the teaching of MME to military medical audiences.
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The DoD has a specific mission that creates unique challenges for the conduct of clinical research. These unique challenges include (1) the fact that medical readiness is the number one priority, (2) understanding the role of military culture, and (3) understanding the highly transient flow of operations. Appropriate engagement with key stakeholders at the point of care, where research activities are executed, can mean the difference between success and failure. ⋯ Military leaders are driven by the ability to meet the demands of the assigned mission (readiness). Command endorsement and support are critical for service members to participate in stakeholder engagement panels or clinical trials offering novel treatments. To translate science into relevant practice within the Military Health System, early engagement with key stakeholders at the point of care and addressing mission-relevant factors is critical for success.
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Symptomatic cervical spondylosis is a progressive degenerative condition of the cervical spine commonly resulting in functionally-limiting pain, weakness, and/or limited dexterity. Symptomatic cervical spondylosis is believed to occur at higher rates in military aviators than civilian counterparts and is a disqualifying condition for all Navy and Marine Corps aircrew. This condition is non-waiverable for tactical jet (ejection-seat-based) aviators. ⋯ TDR studies demonstrate equal or superior functional outcomes, rates of symptom resolution, reduced complication and reoperation rates, and lower long-term cost compared to traditional Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion (ACDF). Although initial computational modeling studies have evaluated cervical arthroplasty performance during rotary-wing crash impacts, safety within the dynamic tactical jet environment has not yet been established. The purpose of this article is to review factors relevant to TDR safety and outcomes and to propose a framework to evaluate the safety of TDR in Navy and Marine Corps tactical jet aircrew, to ultimately inform aeromedical algorithms regarding return to flight after TDR.
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The Military Health System directly supports the National Security and Defense Strategy priorities of modernizing capabilities, enhancing lethality, supporting alliances, building partnerships, and implementing reform. Trauma medicine training programs with partner nations is a key lever that can be pulled, using a risk-based decision-making process, to scale up efforts toward these national priorities.