Focused on Fundamentals in Afghanistan
April 4, 2012 posted by Rich Carpenter
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120927233755im_/http://www.mc4.army.mil/Images/authors/Carpenter_hs.jpg)
Rich Carpenter, MC4's country team lead in Afghanistan, previously deployed
as a field service representative and supported MC4 in Kuwait and Iraq.
Prior to joining MC4 in 2007, Rich served in the Army as a military
policeman.
Our
Afghanistan team’s goal is pretty straight forward — to continue to provide
support to deployed units using MC4. Our primary purpose and our driving goal
at MC4 is to enable the Army to document as many comprehensive electronic
medical records as possible in order to provide the best care for our Service
members. Afghanistan has always been a dynamic operation and later this year
with the reduction of Army forces, it is more important than ever to focus on
the fundamentals.
We
intend to accomplish this by enhancing our tier 3 support, strengthening the
Army’s tier 1 and tier 2 support, keeping the software versions current, and continuing
to provide training to end users. We will also provide direct support as we
field new capabilities by configuring systems and/or training users on how to
utilize new capabilities like telebehavioral health (TBH), TC2/Medweb
interface, and new trauma documentation templates for MEDEVAC
units. We are currently looking for a unit to pilot the MEDEVAC trauma documentation
templates before distributing this capability countrywide later this year.
MC4
is an Army system, not a commercial software suite. That means each unit owns
their MC4 equipment and is responsible for the basic support. In 2012, we are
seeking to provide more tier 1 training to Information Management Officers (IMOs)
and Sustainment Automation Support Management Offices (SASMOs); and tier 2
training to system administrators (S6s) during our site visits. We will
continue to work with the commands to establish this strong tier 1 and 2
support so that our MC4 personnel in theater can travel and see more units each
month. This allows MC4 staff to help units become more self-sufficient and exceed
the standard of documenting EMRs by documenting comprehensive, detailed EMRs that
become part of the Service member’s lifelong electronic health record.
To
enhance MC4’s tier 3 support, we are completing the EMR 2.1.3.1
software upgrade countrywide. The new software includes the latest security and
computer updates; enhanced symptom descriptions and templates in AHLTA-T
for TBI and mTBI; and most importantly, updates to EMR documentation software
to include ICD-9 (International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision) codes.
We are also working with the theater signal commands to integrate MC4 on to the
Non-classified IP Router (NIPR) network. This NIPR integration project provides
enhanced security for MC4 systems, a greater standardization of configuration,
and the ability to securely and remotely access the MC4 machines for
troubleshooting purposes.
At
MC4, we strive to continue to improve and enhance our support to the Army even
during the draw down in Iraq and projected footprint reductions in Afghanistan.
If a new upgrade, business practice or product can help to improve the care of Soldiers,
I will ensure we field it.
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