Long-term TBI care lacking, report says

Long-term TBI care lacking, report says
By Kelly Kennedy - Staff writer
Posted : Thursday May 1, 2008 16:48:56 EDT

Three years after rehabilitation for traumatic brain injury, eight of 52 veterans interviewed faced significant unmet medical, mental health and career-assistance needs, and most of the patients had no sign of recent case management, according to a Department of Veterans Affairs report released Thursday.

“While case management has improved, long-term case management is not uniformly provided for these patients,” states the report from VA’s Inspector General. “In some cases, significant needs remain unmet.”

Investigators looked at medical and compensation records for veterans who had received in-patient care after being injured in Iraq and Afghanistan and were discharged from the military in 2004.

In the short term, investigators found that 52 patients initially had similar outcomes when compared to people with traumatic brain injuries receiving care in civilian facilities. In the long term, however, the veterans’ care needed improvement.

Patients with traumatic brain injuries often need more assistance in finding help because of the cognitive, emotional and behavioral issues associated with head injuries. That also can place extra stress on family members who often take on the task of providing care.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/05/military_tbi_caregap_050108w/