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REPUBLICAN PRESS RELEASE

March 19, 2007

VA subcommittee learns of VA-DoD barriers for brain injury patients

Washington, D.C. — A Subcommittee on Health oversight hearing today focusing on polytrauma rehabilitation and traumatic brain injury (TBI) provided continued evidence of barriers between the military and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) preventing the fully seamless transition of servicemembers between the military and VA health care and benefits systems.

“Critical to these wounded soldiers getting the care they need is the ability of the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense to work together,” said Subcommittee Ranking Member Jeff Miller (R-Fla.).

VA Secretary Jim Nicholson recently directed a number of changes to improve the way VA provides care to our newest combat veterans. VA will screen all combat veterans of the war on terror for traumatic brain injury and post traumatic stress disorder. As part of Nicholson’s reforms, each polytrauma patient and family will be provided by VA with a patient advocate, VA health care personnel will have mandatory training to recognize and care for TBI patients and the department will establish an outside panel of clinical experts to review the VA polytrauma rehabilitation system.

“These actions are commendable and necessary. However, despite past congressional directives, there are still significant collaborative actions that DoD and VA have failed to implement,” Miller said. “These injured servicemembers and their families are relying on the ability of the department to provide a full continuum of first class care and support for their complete recovery, from inpatient services at the polytrauma rehabilitation centers, to outpatient rehabilitation, to long term care service in their home communities.”

Dr. Tina M. Trudel, Lakeview Healthcare System president and chief operating officer, told the subcommittee that post-acute TBI rehabilitation is a particular challenge within VA. She believes that the department can more effectively take advantage of private-sector expertise.

Trudel said that VA “would be wise to consider care coordination through facilitation of existing systems such as the Brain Injury Association of America and its national and state information and referral resources and the National Association of State Head Injury Administrators, both non-profit organizations with strong networks and the foundation knowledge of brain injury services across the country.”

“It is our job to see that we get care for these veterans right, and we do not fail those who have sacrificed so much for our country,” Miller said.

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Larry Scott

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