Subscribe
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. - From faster diagnostic turnaround times to seamless electronic recordkeeping, medical teams at Hurlburt Field, Florida are embracing advanced technology to improve patient care and ensure mission readiness.
The 1st Special Operations Wings’ laboratory has upgraded its diagnostic and records keeping capabilities to support the wing’s rapid deployment operations and help uphold the wing’s “Anytime, Anyplace” promise.
“Because we are an active duty military unit and high-priority Spec Ops base, our Airmen are on call 24 hours a day and may deploy at a moment’s notice,” said a 1SOW laboratory technician. In 2020, the lab received GeneXpert, an automatic molecular analyzer that uses DNA replication to test targeted genes for a variety of abnormalities such as COVID-19,influenza A and B, parasitic infections and other potential issues. Before receiving it, Hurlburt Field sent samples to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio and Eglin Air Force Base, Florida for diagnostics – sometimes waiting up to a week for results.
“Since receiving this analyzer, it has cut our turnaround time down greatly,” said the laboratory technician. “For rapid deployment lines, we now receive upwards of 150 samples a day, with the turnaround times ranging anywhere from one hour to the end of the day.”
The laboratory also upgraded its chemistry analyzer, replacing older technology with more efficient systems, according to the laboratory technician.
“Our older analyzer used spectrophotometry to read certain particles of the blood to measure it,” said the laboratory technician. “Our new analyzer uses dry slide technology to cut down turnaround times and enhance diagnostic accuracy.”
The implementation of MHS GENESIS, the Department of Defense’s electronic health record system has further streamlined laboratory operations by integrating medical and dental records for service members, their families and veterans across all military branches. This ensures medical records are consistent across all military treatment facilities, so service members can receive care anywhere.
“It just boils down to time. We need to get our members back out into the force as soon as possible,” said a medical flight chief assigned to the 1 SOW. “Streamlining the electronic health records with MHS GENESIS makes it easy.”
The 1st SOW medical team is adopting these technological advancements as part of its ongoing efforts to improve processes to deliver more efficient care.
“Medical readiness plays a vital role in the world-class installation mindset,” said the flight chief. “Investing in more advanced and efficient technology for our clinics speaks volumes to our patients and helps them perform the mission.”
| Date Taken: | 08.08.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 08.11.2025 11:13 |
| Story ID: | 545253 |
| Location: | HURLBURT FIELD, FL, FLORIDA, US |
| Web Views: | 53 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
This work, Laboratory technological advances reduce wait times for readiness, by A1C Isabel Tanner, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
