“U.S. military medical personnel often serve in remote operating locations with limited external communications and often a sparse health care infrastructure. Traditional land-line phones remain their primary connection to the outside world.”
“When these highly trained clinicians encounter medical emergencies beyond their considerable skills and local resources, having experts on the other end of the line to guide them can vastly improve outcomes for forward-deployed patients. Providing a single point of contact makes it easier for those frontline personnel to get the immediate assistance they need, which is why the Military Health System offers the Advanced Virtual Support for Operational Forces program, or ADVISOR.”
“The only program of its type across the Department of Defense, ADVISOR provides global on-demand access to a full spectrum of medical tele-consultation services for emergent and urgent care. ADVISOR also delivers those services 24/7/365 in austere environments that have limited to no local specialty support.”
“Field medical personnel anywhere in the world can call one phone number – 1-833-ADVSRLN (1-833-238-7756 or DSN 312-429-9089) – and get immediate live help in 13 different medical specialties, from emergency care and critical care, to infectious diseases and toxicology.”
“Think of ADVISOR as a “phone-a-friend” capability that connects field medical personnel with the MHS’ best experts for when medical situations require assistance far from home – similar in spirit to NASA’s Mission Control. Field personnel are not on the Moon, but handling a medical crisis in faraway, resource-constrained locations can feel that way.”
“Imagine being hundreds of miles from the nearest medical facility and having to answer the question, ‘I have two intravenous saline bags, three bandages, and a lollipop stick from last night’s Meals Ready to Eat – how do I keep this patient alive until the chopper comes?'”
“With ADVISOR, field medics get real-time access to capabilities they otherwise lack and guidance on improvising care using whatever resources are at hand – huge confidence and capability boosters that can make a life-or-death difference for patients…” Read the full article here.
Source: ADVISOR brings support to medical personal in austere environments – By Michael Kile, May 27, 2021. Military Health System.