National disaster medical system pilot program
NIDHC supports a Congressional effort to assess and strengthen the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS) to meet the needs of U.S. casualties returning from an overseas large-scale combat operation (LSCO).
As the integrator across military and civilian health systems, NIDHC brings the leadership and structure needed to align stakeholders, synchronize care delivery, and translate policy into operational capability. Through extensive interagency partnerships, NIDHC addresses complex issues in synchronizing military and civilian healthcare delivery.
The effort focuses on enhancing NDMS interoperability, capability, and capacity across eight Pilot sites: Washington, D.C.; San Antonio, TX; Denver, CO; Omaha, NE; Sacramento, CA; Honolulu, HA; Shreveport, LA; Puget Sound, WA. For partners, NIDHC provides a platform to test solutions, share best practices, and scale approaches nationwide. By designing, implementing, and evaluating projects with federal, state, and local stakeholders, NIDHC helps build a more integrated, ready, and resilient medical response system for crisis and conflict.
Military-civilian medical surge program
Directed by Congress under Section 712 of the FY26 National Defense Authorization Act, the Military-Civilian Medical Surge Program (MCMSP) was established in October 2026 to build a sustained, nationwide capability to deliver integrated medical surge during large-scale combat operations and other catastrophic events.
The program strengthens medical operational readiness by continuously assessing and improving both surge capacity and capability at strategically important locations across CONUS and OCONUS. It ensures that critical partnerships, required to mobilize a coordinated medical response, are established, maintained, and anchored in regional academic medical centers and supporting organizations.
Building on the NDMS Pilot Program led by NIDHC, MCMSP advances from assessment to enduring implementation. The program focuses on research, analysis, training, and education to directly support DoW planning and partnership development. A central objective is to establish adaptable, long-term operational structures at each pilot site, creating integrated military-civilian hubs that support innovation, coordination, and scalable response.
Given its interagency scope, MCMSP requires sustained collaboration across the DoW, federal partners, and external stakeholders. This approach ensures a unified, whole-of-government capability prepared to respond at speed and scale.