Citation

Belanger HG, Uomoto JM, Vanderploeg RD. J. Head Trauma Rehabil. 2009; 24(1): 4-13.

Affiliation

Department of Psychology, James A.Haley VeteransHospital, 13000 Bruce B Downs Blvd, 117, Tampa, FL 33612, USA. Heather.Belanger@va.gov

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/HTR.0b013e3181957032

PMID

19158591

Abstract

The Veterans Health Administration's (VHA's) Polytrauma System of Care, developed in response to a new cohort of patients back from Iraq and Afghanistan, is described with particular focus on the assessment and treatment of mild traumatic brain injury (mild TBI). The development of systemwide TBI screening within the VHA has been an ambitious and historic undertaking. As with any population-wide screening tool, there are benefits and costs associated with it. The purpose of this article is to identify and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the VHA's TBI clinical reminder and subsequent evaluation and treatment processes. Complicating factors such as increased media attention and other contextual factors are discussed.

Language: en