Blood supplies, autonomous systems shape US Army’s Indo-Pacific combat care plans

U.S. Army combat medical teams are experimenting with ways to prolong care in preparation for a possible fight in the Indo-Pacific theater , where vast distances and limited evacuation platforms affect a patient’s timely access to surgical care. A fight in the Indo-Pacific would look different from past wars, such as Iraq and Afghanistan, making maintaining the “Golden Hour” standard difficult. Instead of requiring medical care and evacuation to a surgical facility to occur within 60 minutes of a traumatic combat injury, the 18th Theater Medical Command, based at Fort Shafter, Hawaii, is…