BATDOK Application Enabled with Virtual Exam Room Telemedicine Platform for COVID-19 Fight

United States Air Force medics are tasked with saving lives and aiding the injured in both humanitarian and combat environments. Currently, the Air Force (AF) has no ability for a medic in the field to remotely consult with a Doctor or Specialist in real time over secure video while sharing live patient data and vital signs. Moreover, they have no way to transmit that critical patient data from the field to a higher echelon of care. The result is that patient information on injuries sustained, treatment performed, and medications administered is lost. These gaps cost time which ultimately costs lives.  These problems are further magnified when dealing with multiple casualties, such as during a mass casualty event. Remote Health Solutions (RHS) is a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) that provides an innovative telemedicine platform called the “Virtual Exam Room” (VER) which solves most of these problems. These commercially-available, off-the-shelf (COTS) devices provide the medic in the field with the ability to consult with a Doctor or Specialist as needed using secure, real time video; while also simultaneously transmitting, viewing, and storing diagnostic patient data (an industry first).  When combined with the AF's Battlefield Assisted Trauma Distributed Observation Kit (BATDOK) software application, the VER-Enhaced BATDOK capability solves all of the above-mentioned problems for the AF. In 2018, RHS sold its first VER devices adapted for military use to both Active Duty and National Guard AF Pararescue (PJ) units. After purchasing our VER-TAC (tactical) telemedicine device, PJs from the National Guard’s Battlefield Airmen Branch expressed a strong desire to see the AF engage in a broad, long-term acquisition and sustainment Program of Record for the VER platform in order to solve the problems discussed above. They assessed that the VER platform would provide them with a critical reach back capability that they did not possess and would enhance the level of care they could provide to a patient in the field. Additionally, they recommended several important, simple modifications to the VER platform that would allow them to modernize, streamline, and replace existing legacy medical equipment onboard MedEvac aircraft. These modifications would also cut overall costs, reduce weight, and reduce size of medical equipment onboard aircraft. In addition to fielding these devices with AF Active Duty, National Guard, and Reserve PJ and Special Tactics units, there is significant commercialization potential across all branches of the military, other DoD agencies (i.e. Defense Health Agency), the US State Department, Veterans Affairs Administration, Department of Homeland Security, and commercial law enforcement and first responder organizations.