The Air Force Medical Service supports combatant commanders by providing treatment at forward-deployed medical treatment facilities and aeromedical evacuation to patients who need higher levels of care. This concept of operations involves a rapid flow of patients across different treatment facilities, which requires close integration of treatment and evacuation functions. Balancing the deployment of treatment and evacuation resources is therefore necessary to ensure that the right mix of resources is available in a timely fashion. The Air Force Surgeon General asked the RAND Corporation to identify methods to improve the planning of forward-deployed medical resources, taking into account the variety of scenarios that the U.S. military may face in future operations. To do so, RAND developed an approach that integrates planning for medical resources across treatment and evacuation functions, across levels of care, and across the military services. The approach is built around a RAND-developed construct, the stabilization, triage and treatment, and evacuation of patients (STEP) rate. Essentially a patient flow rate, the STEP rate can help planners better understand the interdependencies among treatment and evacuation functions, levels of care, and the military services. This understanding will help planners ensure that the right level of resources is sent to the right areas, thereby preventing resource imbalances that impede the rapid movement of patients across the entire medical system. The STEP rate concept is compatible with existing joint medical planning tools. Recommended modifications to these tools are discussed in this report.

Title from PDF title screen (viewed on Apr. 26, 2012).

Introduction. -- Air Force medical service planning is not aligned with the current concept of operations for patient flow. -- The STEP rate: an integrated approach to planning treatment and evacuation resources. -- Recommendations for JMAT. -- Conclusions and recommendations. -- Appendices. -- Bibliography.