FORT BENNING, Ga., (Oct. 21, 2015) -- Soldiers with the 14th Combat Support Hospital's priority is treating the warfighter in today's complex world, but care is needed rapidly, said Lt. Col. Richard Morton, 14th CSH deputy commander.
The unit trained with a deployable tent, the Early Hospital Package, Oct. 13-15 with two goals in mind: the first, to give Soldiers familiarity and good training and the second, to perform an assessment on the new concept of rapid, deployable expeditionary hospital package and to validate it for its viability for supporting the warfighter.
The 14th CSH originally had an 84-bed hospital, which was difficult to move. That was knocked down to a 44-bed package, but it still wasn't fast enough. So, the package was shrunk to a 32-bed package. Ultimately, the EHP concept was crafted to provide the most expeditionary package possible, said Staff Sgt. Derek Story, noncommissioned officer in charge of the EHP.
The EHP contains 10 beds and is sent to provide Role 3 medical care - the highest level of field care. Morton said the EHP is a small footprint to support the warfighter and explore the way ahead.
Story said with the EHP, they've taken a lot of the primary sections - pharmacy, lab, X-ray, operating room, intensive care unit and advance trauma life support capabilities - and put them in a very small package. Once the EHP is in place, the unit can attach the 32-bed package.
"It makes it a lot more maneuverable so we can set up closer to the frontline and provide surgical capabilities," Story said.
The EHP allows the unit more mobility, takes fewer vehicles to set it up, and allows every Soldier in the EHP to be cross trained with the different sections.
"Not everyone gets to go to each section of the hospital; it's good to get familiarization with all the equipment in the different sections because usually when we go out to the field, we only get familiar with our section," said Spc. Dylan Florida, B Company, 14th CSH.
Morton said he hopes the EHP will become the standard across the Army.
The event had two major end goals: set the stage in terms of forced early entry with rapid, scalable capabilities to deliver health care and conduct familiarization with equipment and the new setup with 14th CSH.
"It's absolutely essential for us to think out of the box and think of ways to solve problems to give the warfighter more care and capability closer to their fight in a way that's quicker," Morton said.
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