title: A new paradigm for military humanitarian medical operations: mission-generic metrics.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We report the history of military humanitarian medical operations, define the current science of process and outcome evaluation, and propose a set of generic metrics for monitoring and evaluation in military humanitarian operations.
  
  
  METHODS
  We comprehensively reviewed the unclassified literature and used our own experiences in military humanitarian activities.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our literature review shows that efforts to evaluate the relative quality or cost-effectiveness of military humanitarian missions have been largely unsuccessful. In response to this finding, the authors propose a monitoring and evaluation checklist system with generic metrics, which are broadly applicable but also can be customized specifically for the user.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Military humanitarian operations can provide substantial security value to their many different stakeholders. Refinement of our proposed mission-generic metrics list is one method to measure performance and relative quality. Better assessment of outcomes can clarify decisions about the utilization of limited military medical humanitarian funds and personnel.
authors: Division of Global Health, Department of Preventive Medicine and Biometrics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA.
authors: Stephen G
authors: SG
authors: Waller
authors: Jane B
authors: JB
authors: Ward
authors: Miguel
authors: M
authors: Montalvo
authors: Charles
authors: C
authors: Cunliffe
authors: Charles
authors: C
authors: Beadling
authors: Kevin
authors: K
authors: Riley
mesh_terms: D000533:Altruism; D004189:Disaster Planning / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D008887:Military Medicine / Q000458:organization & administration; D008889:Military Personnel; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D014481:United States; D059030:United States Department of Defense