The US Navy has begun testing a new digital medical records and care management system aboard a frontline warship, marking a major step toward modernizing healthcare delivery for sailors deployed at sea. The pilot aims to address long-standing challenges in documenting, accessing, and sharing medical information during extended operations far from shore-based medical facilities.
Navy Medicine recently completed its first operational trial of the Operational Medicine Care Delivery Platform (OpMed CDP) aboard the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Carney. The system replaces fragmented and paper-based medical processes with a single digital platform designed to streamline clinical workflows and improve access to patient records in maritime environments. OpMed CDP is built to integrate seamlessly with MHS GENESIS, the Department of Defense’s enterprise electronic health record system.
During the pilot phase, medical personnel and sailors received hands-on training covering routine clinical functions such as pharmacy operations, laboratory testing, and primary care visits. The trial focused on ensuring that patient data could be securely captured at sea and transferred smoothly across different care settings, supporting better clinical decision-making and continuity of care during deployments.
Following positive initial results, Commander, Naval Surface Force Atlantic has approved an expanded pilot to further test the system’s resilience and performance under real-world operational conditions. Once fully implemented, USS Carney will become the first US Navy ship to rely on OpMed CDP for daily medical operations, signaling a significant shift toward fully digital afloat healthcare.
