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FY97 Annual Report
- Dmlss Training Modules
- Army Dmlss Training
- Defense Medical Logistics Standard Support Dmlss User Manual Guide
- Defense Medical Logistics Standard System
The Defense Medical Logistics Standard Support (DMLSS) program defines and implements a more efficient medical logistics capability for military medical treatment facilities (MTFs) and field units to support health care operations. The DMLSS Automated Information System (DMLSS AIS) is intended.
- Sep 06, 2018 SUBJECT: Defense Medical Logistics Standard Support-Facilities Management (DMLSS-FM): Volume 4: Facility Systems Inventory (FSI) Module. References: See Enclosure 1. This Defense Health Agency-Technical Manual (DHA-TM), based on the authority of References (a) and (b), and in accordance with the guidance of References (c).
- Section V — Medical Logistics Support for Roles 1 and 2 Medical Treatment Facility Operations. 3-8 Class VIII Supply Operations for Roles 1 and 2 Medical Treatment Facilities. 3-8 Section VI — Medical Logistics Support for Medical Units Operating.
The Defense Medical Logistics Standard Support (DMLSS) program defines and implements a more efficient medical logistics capability for military treatment facilities (MTFs) and field units to support health care operations. The DMLSS Automated Information System (DMLSS AIS) is intended to enhance operations by automating manual processes, improving processes already automated, and eliminating existing processes that add no value. It has replaced a number of legacy systems operated by the individual Services, with three remaining to be replaced by the final release. The system supports four major functional areas: (1) materiel management, (2) facility management, (3) equipment and technology, and (4) wholesale operations. The first three of these are retail medical logistic functions that are performed by MTFs and field units worldwide. The wholesale functions are performed at only one site¾ the Defense Supply Center, Philadelphia.
DMLSS AIS integrates the medical logistics systems of the Services, reduces MTF inventories of medical and pharmaceutical items, and decreases the medical logistics footprint. This integration decreases the vulnerability of logistics lines of communications to deployed forces.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
DMLSS AIS wholesale and retail systems were first deployed to test sites in 1995. Following successful OT&E of the wholesale system, OPTEVFOR, the independent OTA, determined that there was little risk in implementing future enhancements at the single wholesale location and DOT&E concurred. Over the years, OPTEVFOR has performed independent OT&E on two major releases and some incremental enhancements of the retail system. DMLSS AIS Release 2.0, which supports materiel management and facilities management functions, has been fielded worldwide to approximately 110 MTFs. Release 3.0, the final increment, will enhance the materiel management module and add a third module to support equipment maintenance and inventory, and the acquisition of new technology.
In January 2000, OPTEVFOR conducted OT on live DMLSS AIS 2.0 systems at three test sites: Fort Knox, KY; Great Lakes Naval Training Center, IL; and Yokota Air Base, Japan. DOT&E's independent assessment concluded that DMLSS AIS 2.0 was operationally effective and operationally suitable. Subsequently, in June 2000, OPTEVFOR performed OT&E on Customer Support on the Web (CSW), an enhancement that enables customers to receive medical logistics support by accessing web-based applications. DOT&E concluded that CSW was operationally effective and suitable. DOT&E recommended that both DMLSS AIS 2.0 and the CSW enhancement be deployed worldwide.
TEST & EVALUATION ACTIVITY
DMLSS AIS 3.0 is currently completing DT&E at three MTFs in the United States. The software has been or is being installed at three additional test sites where OT&E is scheduled for 2QFY02: Naval Medical Center, Portsmouth, VA; David Grant Medical Center, Travis AFB, CA; and Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, TX. As with previous releases, the general OT concept will be to: (1) observe users performing typical actions in an operational environment; (2) distribute user questionnaires and conduct user interviews; and (3) review relevant reports, logs, and other documentation.
TEST & EVALUATION ASSESSMENT
DMLSS AIS is clearly an improvement over previous practices and systems. Release 2.0 and CSW are operating successfully and there is excellent potential for further automation of the medical logistics processes. The Release 2.0 OT&E had disclosed several issues that needed to be addressed. For example, the facility management module, despite its potential as an effective tool for managing facility maintenance, materiel, and construction projects, was not being used extensively or effectively. DOT&E made several recommendations to the PM and the medical logistics functional community for improving DMLSS AIS and the criteria used to evaluate it. The PM took action to correct the deficiencies, and the ORD was updated and revalidated. The PM is submitting an updated TEMP to OSD for approval, and OPTEVFOR will have both the requirements and guidance it needs to conduct OT&E on DMLSS AIS 3.0. The resulting assessment will determine the remaining actions necessary for DMLSS AIS to reach FOC.
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Director, Operational Test & Evaluation | ||
FY97 Annual Report |
FY97 Annual Report
ASD (HA) ACAT IAM Program 600 systems Total program cost (TY$)$236M Average unit cost (TY$)$393K Life cycle cost (TY$)$921M Full-rate production (IOC)4QFY96 Prime Contractor Electronic Data systems (EDS) and Cordant |
SYSTEM DESCRIPTION & CONTRIBUTION TO JOINT VISION 2010 Oldsmobile repair manual download.
The DMLSS program defines and implements a more efficient medical logistics environment for military medical treatment facilities (MTFs) and field units to support health care operations both in peacetime and during contingencies. DMLSS AIS is intended to enhance operations by automating manual processes, improving processes already automated, and eliminating existing processes that add no value.
The system will support four major functional areas: (1) materiel management, (2) facility management, (3) equipment and technology, and (4) wholesale. The first three of these are retail medical logistic systems that will be used in hundreds of MTFs and field units worldwide, while the wholesale systems will be used only at a single site¾the Defense Personnel Support Center (DPSC) in Philadelphia, PA.
DMLSS AIS is being fielded incrementally, with each release containing new functions and enhancements to existing functions. The required applications are installed on each user's PCs and the server is accessed via the existing MTF local area network (LAN). DMLSS supports the JV2010 concept of focused logistics by integrating the medical logistics systems of the three Services, reducing MTF inventories of medical and pharmaceutical items, and decreasing the medical logistics footprint. This decreases the vulnerability of logistics lines of communications to deployed forces while still protecting lives.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Medical Electronic Customer Assistance (MECA), one of five wholesale systems to be developed for DPSC, was the first DMLSS AIS system to be fielded. Its retail counterpart and near twin, Forward Customer Support (FCS), was deployed to test sites in a stand-alone version (FCS-SA) at about the same time, beginning in 1995. The IOT&E of these initial modules was generally successful.
DMLSS AIS Release 1, which contains all of the functionality of FCS-SA, began the automation of both the medical materiel management and facility management processes. Subsequent DMLSS AIS releases will continue to introduce new automated processes, while also replacing eight retail systems currently in use in military MTFs and field units.
In February 1996, OT&E was conducted by the Office of Health Systems Evaluation (the OTA at the time) on MECA at the DPSC in Philadelphia, and on FCS-SA at Lackland AFB, TX, and the National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, MD. Although the test results were generally very favorable and most users enthusiastically supported the new system, some concerns were noted in the areas of database accuracy and currency, user training, system availability, and response times. The DMLSS PM took immediate action to correct these deficiencies, and DOT&E concurred with the OTA that the use of both FCS-SA and MECA should continue, as should the planned DMLSS AIS development program.
In August 1996, OT was conducted on DMLSS AIS Release 1 at Camp Lejeune, NC; Fort Hood, TX; and Maxwell AFB, AL. OPTEVFOR, the new lead OTA, determined that the system was 'potentially operationally effective' and 'potentially operationally suitable.' (The word 'potentially' was used because this was an early OT&E that did not test all DMLSS AIS required capabilities, many of which are still being developed.)
TEST & EVALUATION ACTIVITY
None during 1997. The OT&E of DMLSS AIS Release 1 in 1996 was conducted in compliance with the TEMP approved by DOT&E on July 30, 1996.
Dmlss Training Modules
TEST & EVALUATION ASSESSMENT
During the OT&E of DMLSS AIS Release 1, the users were extremely satisfied with the new capability and were eagerly and aggressively using the system during their normal work routines. Deficiencies from the previous OT&E of MECA and FCS-SA had been corrected. Many of the facility management functions of Release 1 could not be tested, however; due to insufficient time to populate the database and user inexperience with some of the new features. As a result of the Release 1 OT&E, many recommendations for improvement were provided in the areas of contractor-provided maintenance, database building and updating, and interfaces with related systems. The DMLSS AIS PM quickly took action to address all of these concerns.
DOT&E concurs with the deployment of DMLSS AIS Release 1, but further operational testing of the system is clearly needed. FOT&E is scheduled for DMLSS AIS Release 2 in July 1998. Release 2 will contain upgrades to both the materiel management and facility management modules, and will replace two materiel management legacy systems. In addition to focusing on new functional capabilities (particularly those of the facility management module), FOT&E will address the operational effectiveness concerns (e.g., database accuracy, security) and operational suitability concerns
(e.g., maintainability, interoperability, training) noted in previous OT.
LESSONS LEARNED
Much of the difficulty in testing the facility management module of Release 1 was experienced because OT took place only a few weeks after the system had been installed at the test locations. There had been insufficient time for the users to become acquainted with the new system and to learn to perform all of the functions. Even more importantly, there had not been enough time to populate the databases sufficiently with all of the unique data that pertained to the test locations. Determining the optimum amount of time to wait between the installation at test sites and the beginning of operational testing is a challenge that differs with each AIS. Past experience has shown that at least one month (preferably two) is the minimum period. Any more time than that could unnecessarily delay deployment of the system. However, some systems require more time before they are ready to test. For these systems, either deployment must be delayed, or ways must be found to adequately prepare the OT locations without compromising the deployment schedule.
Army Dmlss Training
Defense Medical Logistics Standard Support Dmlss User Manual Guide
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