April 16, 2020 | BY NAVY CHIEF PETTY OFFICER BARRY RILEY
Upon their arrival in New York City to support the U.S.
Northern Command response to the COVID-19 pandemic, military medical
professionals augmenting civilian hospitals are issued phones as part of their
in-processing.
The phones provide personal health updates, location
tracking, and messaging and alerts for the more than 300 medical providers
augmenting 11 hospitals around the city.
One soldier speaks on a telephone and another uses a
hand-held tablet. Both are wearing face masks and other protective gear and are
seated at laptop computers.
Army Maj. James Watson, a communications officer assigned to
531st Hospital Center, said the devices are meant to improve COVID-19 pandemic
domain awareness with real-time data for decision-making using advanced
computing mobile format and collaboration capabilities.
These capabilities enable opportunities in health and
medical supply management and tracking through the personnel statistics and
medical statistics applications.
''These are great tools to flatten the battlefield and offer
a clear sight picture for all the senior leaders to know what's happening on
ground in the moment,'' said Watson, who is working at the Javits New York
Medical Station, the name given to the alternate care facility established at
New York’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.
Providers can also use the Microsoft Teams software to
collaborate, share lessons learned and help to build a bond of communication.
''It shows a great level of concern, from the most senior
commander on down to the individual that is going into the hospitals to support
the COVID-19 response,'' Watson said.
Northcom is providing military support to the Federal
Emergency Management Agency to assist the New York hospital system and others
across the nation's hardest-hit areas.
Javits New York Medical Station has been operational and
caring for non-COVID-19 patients since March 30. It began providing medical
care for patients with COVID-19 on April 3. Also initially tasked with
providing care to non-COVID patients, the Navy hospital ship USNS Comfort,
deployed to New York City, began taking COVID-positive patients April 6.
(Navy Chief Petty Officer Barry Riley is assigned to Joint
Task Force Civil Support.)