Gaining experience with military medical situational awareness and geographic information systems in a simulated influenza epidemic.

The purpose of medical situational awareness is to provide useful and actionable information for preparing and employing medical assets in support of a wide variety of operational missions around the world, and monitoring and protecting the health of the force in the face of rapidly changing health threats. Since 2005, the Medical Situational Awareness in the Theater Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration has exploited advances in information technology, geographic information systems, and open systems architecture to produce a functioning prototype of a medical situational enhancement capability. In May 2006, this prototype supported the medical staff of a combined/joint task force in a realistic command postexercise featuring a simulated outbreak of influenza during Exercise COBRA GOLD in Thailand. The proliferation and maturation of geographic information systems present many opportunities for the military medical community to improve the health of the populations for which it is responsible.