Madigan Army Medical Center Erects Tents For Sick Calls, Minor Surgeries

As part of an extensive training exercise, some Joint Base Lewis-McChord Soldiers will head to nearly 90,000 square feet of interconnected tents for sick call and minor surgeries this week.

Soldiers from the 47th Combat Support Hospital constructed the massive temporary facility to demonstrate their ability to provide exceptional field medicine.

The tents, which together form a 44-bed Early Entry Hospital Element, are home to a radiology section, pharmacy, laboratory, two intensive care units, an intensive care ward and a fully functional operating room. Minor surgeries will be performed by 62nd Medical Brigade Forward Surgical Teams, units charged with providing rapid forward surgical and emergency resuscitativecare. Madigan surgeons are assigned to the forward surgical teams through the Professional Filler System, used by the military when a demand for a specialist increases in an austere environment.

An Early Entry Hospital Element can be used during both combat and humanitarian missions. It can be quickly deployed and operated as a self-contained unit for 72 hours without any other logistical support. The structure provides a medical force that has early entry capabilities, as well as a reduced footprint.  This week’s field exercise will allow Soldiers to further refine their ability to provide top-notch medical care while using this tactical equipment.

-Madigan Army Medical Center