| Medical planners must have statistics and factors from previous conflicts to forecast future
requirements. Medical statistics for World War II have been recorded for future guidance, but the statistics
for the Korean Conflict have not heretofore been placed in a readily available reference book. Therefore,
this volume has been prepared to provide the medical planner with essential information related to the
statistics, such as the type of operation, lethality of weapons, and location of wounds. Medical planning
factors and statistics based on actual experience are an absolute necessity in the preparation and
justification of Army Medical Department resources to support contingency plans. Furthermore, data of this
nature are one of the key elements utilized in automated force planning systems since they provide the
foundation for estimating Army Medical Department units, hospital construction, evacuation requirements, and
replacements for a theater of operation.
Of major significance is the inclusion in this volume of revised methodology which may be utilized to
compute Army Medical Department hospitalization units and related resource requirements. This methodology
will provide a common basis for estimating medical workload which may be applied by all planners. Included
in the methodology for the first time is an approach for estimating mobile beds required in the field army
area. Therefore, with the information contained in this document, a, planner has a method which may be
employed to estimate hospitalization workload in the Field Army, Communications Zone, and continental United
States, either as an integrated system or as independent areas.
It behooves us to learn from past experience and apply lessons learned in preparing and planning for
military operations or contingencies of the future. Therefore, I commend this volume to Army Medical
Department planners and believe the information will be an invaluable tool.
HAL B. JENNINGS, Jr., M.D.,
Lieutenant General,
The Surgeon General.
|
