Photo By Kirk Frady | KONOTOP, Poland – U.S. Army 1st Lt. Jason McCormick, a physician assistant assigned...... read more read more
SEMBACH, Germany – U.S. Army medical personnel stationed in Poland and Germany are fielding a new web-based platform designed to streamline electronic health record management and improve patient care in forward or remote operating locations.
The Patient Health, Operational Electronic Network Information Exchange Medical (PhoenixMed), aims to supplement the current Health Assessment Lite Operations (HALO) system, addressing key challenges associated with its deployment and maintenance.
PhoenixMed is specifically designed for Army healthcare providers, nurses, and medics operating at Role 1 and Role 2 medical sites. The fielding that is currently taking place in Europe marks a crucial step towards potentially deploying the system to Army outlying medical locations globally.
“PhoenixMed represents the evolution of operational medicine,” said U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Roger Giraud, commander of Medical Readiness Command Europe and command surgeon for U.S. Army Europe and Africa. “PhoenixMed is secure, scalable and built to ensure quality, safe care in an operational setting, which will reduce risk to force and risk to mission.”
Army medical officials indicated that the current HALO health records system presents logistical hurdles and challenges that PhoenixMed seeks to eliminate. For example, HALO requires installation and configuration by a qualified System Administrator certified to meet stringent 8140 compliance standards. However, not all Army medical units deploy with such specialized personnel, leaving them unable to properly configure and maintain the system in the field.
According to subject matter experts with Operational Medicine Information Systems – Army (OMIS-A), PhoenixMed offers a significant advantage by eliminating the need for local installation maintenance and support. The platform operates entirely through a web browser, requiring no manual upgrades or system configuration by field personnel.
“The Army's OMIS-A (Operations Management Information System-Army) centrally maintains the system, ensuring consistent and reliable performance,” said Ami Bryant, OMIS-A acting product lead. “Feature upgrades are deployed automatically, reducing the administrative burden on medical staff.”
"The ease of use is a game-changer," said U.S. Army Maj. (Dr.) Andrew Jackson, command surgeon for 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division. "With HALO, we often struggle to get it up and running and keep it running. PhoenixMed is ready to go from the moment we log in."
According to Army medical information technology experts, another key benefit of PhoenixMed is its ability to replace hard copy SF 600 Forms (Chronological Record of Medical Care) with electronic medical documentation. This digital transformation promises to improve data accuracy, accessibility, and efficiency.
“The PhoenixMed system is designed to work at Role 1 and Role 2 levels of medical care including battalion aid stations and the medical company,” added Bryant. “This ensures that the same comprehensive and consistent health record is accessible to all Army healthcare providers that are treating the servicemember.”
Army medical experts remarked that if the fielding program in Europe proves successful, Army Medicine plans to deploy PhoenixMed to all outlying medical locations worldwide. This would represent a significant advancement in Army Medicine's ability to provide timely and effective healthcare to Soldiers, regardless of their location.
“Looking ahead, the development team plans to incorporate offline functionality into PhoenixMed,” said U.S. Army Col. Peter Huynh, chief information officer for 68th Theater Medical Command. “This future capability would allow medical staff to continue documenting patient information in a denied, degraded, intermittent, and limited (DDIL) environment. Once a connection is re-established, the system would automatically transfer the locally stored data, ensuring seamless data integration.”
Information technology subject matter experts stated that the transition from HALO to PhoenixMed represents a strategic shift towards a more agile, user-friendly, and reliable health records management system for Army Medicine.
“By simplifying digital casualty documentation at the point of care, and ensuring consistent management of the clinical data, PhoenixMed has the potential to significantly enhance the delivery of healthcare to Soldiers on the front lines around the globe,” said U.S. Army Col. Tracy Michael, commander of 68th Theater Medical Command. “The results of the pilot program in Europe will be vital to informing Army Transformation efforts to accelerate the development of an operational electronic health record."
PhoenixMed was created and designed by Operational Medicine Information Systems – Army (OMIS-A). OMIS-A was established on April 12, 2024, to modernize the Army’s electronic health record (EHR) software capabilities to operational Soldiers worldwide.
| Date Taken: | 08.15.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 08.15.2025 06:50 |
| Story ID: | 545698 |
| Location: | DE |
| Web Views: | 83 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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