Department of Defense Instruction 6200.03

Department of Defense Instruction 6200.03
Name	Department of Defense Instruction 6200.03
Type	Instruction
Issued	2013
Jurisdiction	United States Department of Defense
Subject	Public Health Emergency Management
Status	Active

Department of Defense Instruction 6200.03 Department of Defense Instruction 6200.03 is an instruction addressing public health emergency management and reporting within the United States defense establishment. It establishes policy, assigns responsibilities, and prescribes procedures for detection, notification, and response to public health emergencies affecting United States Armed Forces, National Guard Bureau, Defense Health Agency, United States Northern Command, and related entities. The instruction connects operational readiness considerations with public health surveillance, liaising with partners such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency, and allied health organizations.

Background and Purpose

The Background and Purpose section traces development from public health lessons of the 1918 influenza pandemic, the response frameworks influenced by the Biological Weapons Convention, and reforms after events like the 2001 anthrax attacks and the 2009 H1N1 pandemic. It situates the instruction within the policy architecture shaped by the National Security Presidential Directive series, the Homeland Security Presidential Directive 21, and directives from the Secretary of Defense and Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness. The purpose is to ensure coherent public health emergency preparedness across components such as the United States Army Medical Command, United States Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, and United States Air Force Medical Service while enabling coordination with civilian partners like the Department of Health and Human Services and the World Health Organization.

Scope and Applicability

This section defines applicability to DoD Components including the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Combatant Commands such as United States Indo-Pacific Command and United States Central Command, Service Secretaries, and the National Capital Region medical support. It applies to operations in garrison, deployed environments such as Operation Enduring Freedom, and contingency responses including support to civil authorities under the Stafford Act. It distinguishes responsibilities among entities like the Defense Health Agency, the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, and the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Branch, while referencing interagency authorities exercised with partners such as the Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration.

Key Definitions and Terms

Key Definitions and Terms codify terminology drawn from sources including the World Health Organization International Health Regulations, the Public Health Service Act, and DoD issuances. Definitions cover terms such as “public health emergency,” “reportable condition,” “disease surveillance,” and “biosurveillance,” aligning with vocabularies used by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health, and the Joint Publication 3-0. The instruction references organizational definitions for units like the Medical Service Corps, reporting structures used by the Defense Intelligence Agency when bio-threat intelligence is implicated, and legal constructs from the Posse Comitatus Act when delineating military support to civil authorities.

Command Responsibilities and Reporting

Command Responsibilities and Reporting assigns responsibilities to commanders, senior medical officers, and headquarters staff including the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Surgeon General of the Army, the Surgeon General of the Navy, and the Surgeon General of the Air Force. It prescribes notification timelines to entities such as the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System and requires reporting into systems interoperable with civilian platforms like those maintained by the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The instruction integrates with operational reporting chains exemplified by the Joint Staff and directs coordination with multinational partners, e.g., through arrangements with North Atlantic Treaty Organization components and bilateral agreements with allies such as United Kingdom Ministry of Defence medical authorities.

Implementation Procedures and Compliance

Implementation Procedures and Compliance sets forth procedures for surveillance, laboratory confirmation, case investigation, mitigation measures, and after-action reporting consistent with standards from the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments and the International Committee of the Red Cross guidance on health operations in conflict. It outlines responsibilities for training provided by institutions like the Uniformed Services University, for exercises coordinated with the Federal Emergency Management Agency National Preparedness Directorate, and for readiness assessments akin to those used by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency. Compliance mechanisms reference inspection and oversight by offices such as the Inspector General of the Department of Defense and metrics comparable to those tracked by the Government Accountability Office.

Privacy, Confidentiality, and Data Handling

Privacy, Confidentiality, and Data Handling specifies safeguards for individually identifiable health information under statutes and policies including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, DoD privacy regulations, and guidance from the Office of Management and Budget. It prescribes conditions for sharing data with partners like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and international bodies like the World Health Organization, balancing operational needs with protections recognized by the American Medical Association and legal frameworks enforced by the Department of Justice. The instruction details recordkeeping requirements similar to those of the National Archives and Records Administration and directs use of secure systems consistent with standards from the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

Category:United States Department of Defense instructions