Title

AWS re:Invent 2023 - How the U.S. Army uses AWS Wickr to deliver lifesaving telemedicine (BIZ103)

Summary

Arvind Muthukrishnan, head of product for Wickr, introduces the session alongside Matt Quinn, science director of the Army's Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center, and Laura Baker, a senior manager at Deloitte.
Wickr is a secure communication tool designed to handle sensitive and confidential conversations with end-to-end encryption, data retention, and administrative controls.
Wickr offers a full suite of communication capabilities, works well in low bandwidth networks, and provides flexible deployment models, including cloud-native and self-hosted options.
The U.S. Army uses Wickr for telemedicine workflows, particularly in resource-constrained environments, to support medics and frontline caregivers.
Deloitte partnered with Wickr to build a telemedicine workflow for disconnected scenarios, leveraging Wickr bots for automation and private 5G networks for connectivity.
MedicP, built on top of Wickr, is used for telementoring, connecting on-the-ground caregivers with specialists for consultations and support.
Wickr's edge capabilities and global federation allow secure communication even in austere and disconnected environments.
Future plans for MedicP include harnessing data for insights, integrating with legacy systems, and enhancing decision-making with AI/ML models and visual presentations.

Wickr's focus on security, simplicity, and intuitive use is critical for adoption in high-stress, mission-critical environments like the military.
The ability to retain data while maintaining end-to-end encryption is a unique feature that addresses regulatory and evidentiary needs.
The use of Wickr bots for workflow automation reduces the cognitive load on medics, allowing them to focus on patient care rather than technology.
The integration of Wickr with ATAC (Android Team Awareness Kit) for geospatial communication highlights the adaptability of Wickr for various military use cases.
The collaboration between AWS, Deloitte, and the U.S. Army exemplifies how public-private partnerships can lead to innovative solutions for complex challenges like telemedicine in combat scenarios.
The future direction of MedicP, focusing on data integration and AI/ML, indicates a trend towards leveraging technology for strategic insights and operational efficiency in military healthcare.