Human Performance Optimization: Maximizing the Capability of Our Warfighters
By: Kelly Kotch, FHP&R Staff Writer
Human Performance Optimization
(HPO) has been a buzzword in the
military for nearly a decade and is a term
commonly used to describe a technique
to improve an individual’s performance.
This concept is also known as Human
Performance Modification, Human
Performance Enhancement, Human
Performance Technology and Human
Systems Optimization. All terms generally
describe Department of Defense (DoD)
and Service efforts to improve the health,
safety and performance of Service
members. Over the past decade, these
programs and initiatives have evolved, but
work and integration continues.
In 2004, the DoD recognized missing
elements of the overall HPO portfolio,
so a new HPO initiative was created
to fill the gaps in research, policy and
advocacy. Stemming from this new
initiative, the DoD formally defined the
concept of HPO. HPO is the process of
applying knowledge, skills and emerging
technologies to improve and preserve
the capabilities of DoD personnel to
execute essential tasks. Simply stated, the
goal is to optimize the performance of
warriors in any and all conditions. The
main goals of the DoD’s HPO program
are to optimize and sustain the mental and
physical performance and resilience of
the warfighter; reduce injury; decrease the
incidence of illness; accelerate recovery
from missions, illness, and/or injury;
provide information and knowledge
transfer from laboratory to line; and
improve the human weapon system’s
ability to accomplish the mission.
The Department established the Human
Performance Resource Center (HPRC)
to communicate information, policies
and research results to our commanders,
warfighters, medical professionals, and
researchers. HPRC aims to make a
difference for any military organization
and its Service members who are
deploying, currently deployed or in reset.
The HPRC strives to take HPO
information and research results and
make them readily available to warfighters,
military leaders, health care providers
and researchers. It captures, organizes,
analyzes and summarizes HPO research
outcomes and evidence-based data in
non-technical terms as well as accepts and
answers queries from the field on HPO
products or issues.
The HPRC field works on, develops and
maintains information for our Service
members concerning:
- physical and psychological resilience
- preventive medicine
- extreme climate adaptation
- nutrition and dietary supplements
- medications for performance
enhancement
- medications for sleep, fatigue
and alertness
- rapid recovery and return to
optimal performance
- health promotion
- human systems integration related
to health sciences
The HPRC does not focus on:
- leadership effectiveness and
organizational climate
- job/task specific training and education
- quality of life issues
- health assessments
- casualty care and treatment
- medical care and rehabilitation
- recruitment/job selection criteria
Other current areas of focus for HRPC
include sleep management, performance at
altitude and in the heat, workout regimes,
energy management, social/psychological
resilience, and decision-making/cognitive
enhancements.
The HPRC is working on its dietary
supplement system. Dietary supplements
are commonly used by Service members so
many questions and concerns often arise
about the benefits and use of supplements.
The HPRC is working with the DoD
Dietary Supplement Subcommittee to
develop and host a classification system
for supplements. Color codes will identify
supplements according to level of concern
and benefit, and short monographs will be
available for those who desire additional
information. An interactive educational
module on dietary supplements is being
developed for the web. The HPRC has
partnered with the Natural Medicines
Comprehensive Database so all health
care providers and Service members
have free access to scientifically-based
information on over 60,000 supplements.
This database provides evidence-based
information on thousands of natural
medicines and alternative therapies
including safety, effectiveness, adverse
reactions, drug interactions, and more. In
addition, the database has an Interaction
Checker that provides data and severity
ratings on more than 3,800 potential
interactions between alternative therapies
and drugs. It is a great tool that all Service
members can access.
For more information about Human
Performance Optimization and the
Resource Center, please visit www.humanperformanceresourcecenter.org.
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