The Joint Theater Trauma System hosted the first Afghanistan in-theater conference focused on best practices surrounding out-of-hospital trauma care, here, Nov. 8-9.

Entitled "Bridging the Gap between In and Out-of-Hospital Care," the two-day event increased situational understanding of cross-cutting medical issues for many senior coalition medical personnel within International Security Forces Afghanistan.

Some presentations from area subject matter experts included combat-related infection prevention, preparing patients for transport, blast imaging, and pre-hospital blood transfusions. Although multiple conferences in Afghanistan have occurred focusing on patient care once inside the hospital, this was the first conference hosted by the JTTS focusing on improvements to care provided from the point of injury through the arrival at the hospital.

This is about "process improvement," said U.S. Air Force Col. Stacy Shackelford, Joint Theater Trauma System director and organizer of the conference.

As the knowledge and understanding of battlefield injuries evolves, the JTTS with the support of the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research in San Antonio, Texas, analyzes and shares the best practices via Clinical Practice Guidelines. This is available to all levels of medical care in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. Anyone in the world can learn from the JTTS analysis; the CPG's are available for review at the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research Website.

Discoveries made saving lives on the battlefield today could become medical school methods taught tomorrow.