Navy tests new digital health system to modernize at-sea care

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MAYPORT, Fla. – Navy Medicine conducted its first pilot test of the Operational Medicine Care Delivery Platform (OpMed CDP) aboard the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Carney (DDG 64) to bring modern, seamless patient care to service members aboard ships, Dec. 1-12.

The Joint Operational Medicine Information System (JOMIS), under the Program Executive Office for Defense Healthcare Management Systems, developed OpMed CDP as part of modernized health IT software suite. This pilot program was established through a partnership with the U.S. Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery (BUMED), U.S. Fleet Forces Command (USFFC), Commander, Naval Surface Force Atlantic (CNSL), Commander, Naval Medical Forces Atlantic (NMFL), and JOMIS to gain fleet approval of the software’s functionality.

“The JOMIS ecosystem will transform the way our clinicians, physicians, and corpsmen provide care to warfighters in operational settings to maintain patient data flow through the continuum of care,” stated Lt. Cmdr. Erik Lawrence, U.S. Navy chief nursing informatics officer for JOMIS assigned to BUMED.

During the 12-day test, the ship’s crew received comprehensive, user-centered training on the system. The goal was to make documenting and accessing a patient’s electronic health record simple and accurate – from pharmacy and lab work to general check-ups – and to ensure connectivity with the Military Health System’s MHS GENESIS platform.

“We’re still learning how it [OpMed CDP] works, but the team has been really helpful with answering questions and listening to feedback, so I’m really excited to keep moving,” described Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Johnny Percadoni, assigned to Carney, during a hands-on, scenario-based session. “It’s a different day and a new system, but I think it’s going to become a lot more prevalent and useful for us.”

This phased, structured training install approach – also called fielding – is critical to implementing OpMed CDP across the Navy. The JOMIS Fielding Plan is designed to ensure a disciplined rollout that allows for agile development, continuous user feedback, and alignment with operational readiness cycles.

“We’ve been developing this agile software for the past three and a half years to provide better decision support at the point of care for medical providers,” explained Cmdr. John de Geus, the U.S. Navy’s chief health informatics officer. “But also to provide data to operational commanders in dynamic, real-time environments.”

Based on the initial trial, CNSL has decided to move into the next phase: an extended pilot to ensure that the final product will be resilient, effective, and ready for the demands of the fleet.

"A successful fielding isn't just about delivering software; it's about delivering the right capability,” concluded de Geus. “The initial pilot provided crucial insights, which is why we are moving to an extended pilot. This decision reinforces our commitment to a truly feedback-driven process, prioritizing the needs of our Sailors above all else.”

Once all phases are complete, Carney will be the first ship to use OpMed CDP for daily medical operations. This will modernize Navy Medicine’s readiness and ensure seamless data sharing, ultimately help to prepare warfighters for their missions at sea.

For 250 years, Navy Medicine – represented by more than 44,000 highly-trained military and civilian healthcare professionals – has delivered quality healthcare and enduring expeditionary medical support to the warfighter on, below, and above the sea, and ashore.