Late this summer, a panel of veteran US Army soldiers–noncoms as well as field grade officers–selected the best advances in Army technology. On the list of a dozen, along with the 40mm Infrared Illuminant Cartridge, M992 and the M240L 7.62mm Lightweight Medium Machine Gun–and the only health tech on the list–is the mCare mobile phone app for supporting soldiers with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and other long term wounds. [TA 16 Aug] In the citation, “mCare was developed by modifying commercial off-the-shelf technologies to meet the unique needs of the Army Medical Department. Secure, HIPAA-compliant messaging system was needed to operate on wounded warriors’ existing mobile devices, in a manner uniquely distinct from text messaging or email. This allows members of the care team to connect with Warriors-in-Transition throughout their outpatient recovery process through a device they already own and are familiar using — their personal cell phone.” mCare is based on the Diversinet MobiSecure platform. Army Announces Greatest Inventions. Army News Service via Military.com
Certainly there is a growing need. Almost 1,400 U.S. servicemembers deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq have been diagnosed with concussions or mild brain injuries, with over 9,000 servicemembers sidelined after explosions or ‘heavy jolts’. While it is estimated by the neurologist quoted that 90% may dissipate within a few days, what is the cumulative effect of multiple shocks? More Troops Being Diagnosed with TBI. Stars and Stripes via Military.com