Force Health Enhancement
Parallels can be drawn between the elite athlete and the elite soldier.
The metabolic and physiological demands of both can result in debilitating
injury if they have not trained for optimal performance. Through
the IMITs Center, experts at UPMC Sports Medicine will use
what they have learned from studying the body composition and muscular
performance of competitive athletes to prevent injuries
in special operations forces.
Emergency Response and Disaster Management Systems
One of the tenets of disaster management is to establish trust among
all parties involved in protecting and preserving public health.
The IMITs Center has embarked on initiatives to ensure that
public safety agencies, health care providers, and the military
are all involved in efforts to prepare for any number of catastrophes.
By emphasizing effective means of communication and real-time
data exchange, the IMITs Center is helping all parties work together to preserve public health.
Health Care Technology
UPMC is consistently recognized as one of the most innovative users
of health care technology among all U.S. companies. Through the
IMITs Center, UPMC is collaborating with a private company
that has designed a tool to assess the extent of brain damage after
head injury. The Center is also helping to export technology to
isolated and rural populations and working with the military to
provide transport when specialists are not available in remote
locations.
Clinical Care
At UPMC, location and socioeconomic status do not determine who has
access to the latest medical treatments. Findings from major clinical
trials are applied in traditionally underserved communities through
a network that spans academic disciplines, regional and military
hospitals, and primary care practices nationwide. The IMITs
Center is partnering with the military to ensure that active duty
and retired military personnel and their families are among the
people that benefit. This care model will be used to help people living with diabetes and
other chronic conditions.
Education and Training/Simulation
UPMC is home to one of the most advanced education and training simulation
centers in the country, and the UPMC IMITs Center is leveraging
this knowledge to help train military medics. The military has
always used simulation equipment to train pilots and combat forces,
but medical simulation in the military is still in its infancy.
The IMITs Center is bringing up-to-date training programs to
medics to ensure they are prepared to treat the injuries and illnesses
that result from present-day conflict.
