BACKGROUND

Patient movement is the process which provides a continuum of care and coordinates the movement of patients from the site of injury or onset of disease, through successive roles of care, to and between medical treatment facilities (MTFs) that can meet the needs of the patient. Patients are moved only as far rearward as the tactical situation dictates and as clinical needs warrant. Prompt movement of patients to the required level of clinical care is essential to prevent morbidity and mortality. Each Service component has medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) or casualty evacuation (CASEVAC) capability to do so. Patient movement consists of three components:

- medical regulating
- patient evacuation
- en route care (ERC)

En Route Care (ERC) is defined in Joint Publication (JP) 1-02, Department of Defense (DoD) Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms and JP 4-02 as the continuation of the provision of care during movement (evacuation) between the health service support capabilities in the roles of care, without clinically compromising the patient’s condition. ERC involves the provision of transitory medical care, patient holding, and staging capabilities during transport from the point of injury or onset of disease throughout the continuum of care.

To ensure the safe transport of casualties during evacuation to definitive care, patients must be adequately prepared for evacuation. The purpose of this Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) is to provide a ready resource for those who are responsible for preparing a patient for en route care.