United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 2002-01-24 monographic deposited born digital 13 p. GA 1.13:GAO-02-377T https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-377T P0b002ee18037ba43 f:d02377t DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-23 GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-377T machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-377T GAO-02-377T Health care services Medical information systems Veterans Information resources management Data collection Data bases Data integrity Health hazards Defense Health Program DOD Force Health Protection Plan DOD Operation Joint Endeavor DOD Theater Medical Information Program DOD Transportation Command Regulating and Command and Control Evacuation System Testimony A02699 GAO, the Institute of Medicine, and others have reported on weaknesses in the Defense Department's (DOD) medical surveillance during the Gulf War and Operation Joint Endeavor and the challenges DOD faces in implementing a reliable medical surveillance system. DOD was unable to collect, maintain, and transfer accurate data on the movement of troops, potential exposures to health risks, and medical incidents during deployment during the Gulf war. DOD improved its medical surveillance system under Operation Joint Endeavor, providing useful information to military commanders and medical personnel. However, GAO found a number of problems with this system. For example, incomplete or inaccurate information related to service members' health and deployment status. DOD's has not established a single, comprehensive electronic system to document, archive, and access medical surveillance data. DOD has several initiatives under way to improve the reliability of deployment information and to enhance its information technology capabilities, but some initiatives are several years away from full implementation. Nonetheless, these efforts reflect a commitment by DOD to establish a comprehensive medical surveillance system. The ability of the Department of Veterans Affairs to fulfill its role in serving veterans and providing backup to DOD in times of war will be enhanced as DOD increases its medical surveillance capability. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-377T/html/GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-377T.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-377T/pdf/GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-377T.pdf GAO-02-377T https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-377T Testimony GAO-02-377T; VA and Defense Health Care: Progress Made, but DOD Continues To Face Military Medical Surveillance System Challenges; Health care services Medical information systems Veterans Information resources management Data collection Data bases Data integrity Health hazards Defense Health Program DOD Force Health Protection Plan DOD Operation Joint Endeavor DOD Theater Medical Information Program DOD Transportation Command Regulating and Command and Control Evacuation System