Automated Identification Technology System (AIT) to Identify, Track and Monitor the Condition of Medical Supply Items from Point of Origin to End User

At the present time there is no system to monitor the progress of medical shipments to and within the combat theater other than those pallets that are tagged with Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags in compliance with the current DoD mandate for tagging pallets and cases. Full implementation of the DoD mandate to tag all pallets and cases of Class VIII (Medical) materiel is not expected to occur before 2008. The DoD mandate not withstanding, most Class VIII shipments are of less than pallet or case quantity and therefore are not subject to this requirement. Many of these medical shipments are time sensitive and are often subject to damage from rough handling and/or environmental exposure. Very often the timely delivery of these items, in good condition, is necessary to save human life or limb or to alleviate human suffering. An AIT enabled system is required to provide tracking/in-transit visibility of less than pallet/case quantity medical shipments from the point of origin, or from an intermediate shipping point such as a military medical depot, to the point of use. The selected technology should require minimal human intervention and monitor the condition of sensitive medical shipments in transit. At a minimum, sensors will be needed to monitor and report temperature, humidity, vibration and/or shock. Early notification of possible damage to essential medical materiel can facilitate the shipment of a replacement item even before the ultimate consignee receives the damaged material. The successful system needs to be capable of being integrated into the Defense Medical Logistics system(s).