Walter Reed Army Medical Center Direct Patient Care in Support of the Global War on Terrorism Inpatient Casualties

Abstract

Abstract : Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC) is the premier medical specialty referral center in the United States Department of Defense (DOD) and is the leading institution for clinical education and research in the U.S. Army (Walter Reed Web Page) . WRAMC plays a crucial role in the DOD's patient evacuation system as the first continental United States (CONUS)-based military medical treatment facility to receive soldiers evacuated from European Command (EUCOM) and Central Command (CENTCOM) areas of responsibilities (AORs) . Since fall of 2001, WRAMC was received soldiers injured in support of both Operation Enduring Freedom (GEE) in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIE), the two primary operations in the United States Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) This study was designed to review the composition of initial GWOT inpatient casualties received at WRAMC and to explore the costs associated with the care provided. These results will assist planners in understanding appropriate levels of resources needed to support future contingency operations. Cross-sectional data on primary diagnosis-related group (DRG) and DRG cost were collected for 372 GWOT inpatients admitted to WRAMC in FY03.