Blast Injury Institute
I am in San Antonio, Texas at the 5th Annual North American Brain Injury Society (NABIS) Medical and Legal Conference. I attended a workshop hosted by Dr. James Schraa, psychologist, from Craig Hospital in Denver. (I worked with Dr. Schraa on a significant brain injury case in 2005), Dr. Mariusz Ziejewski, engineer, from North Dakota State University, Dr. Robert Voogt, certified rehabilitation counselor, from Virginia Beach, and others.
NABIS is launching its initiative The Blast Injury Institute with hopes of bridging the gap between services available to veterans with TBI and PTSD and the veterans themselves. If today’s introduction was any indication, I think the initiative is the only the beginning of bigger things to come.
The standing room only workshop found military men and women, insurance underwriters and directors of rehabilitation services, from both military and civilian backgrounds, as well as neurologists and other physicians engaging in intense discussions. The atmosphere was charged.
The feeling given by veteran neurologists and trauma personnel nearest the battle zones are that congress is making progress but much more needs to be done while the nation is in this heightened state of awareness. Military physicians are screening 100% of all vets for TBI whatever injury they are being evaluated for. The consensus is to treat every vet as if they have TBI or PTSD until proven otherwise. However, the screening is such a recent procedure that there are still many “missed” brain injuries. One audience military physician pointed out he testified in two recent court martial proceedings for soldiers who he felt had TBI.
Insurance underwriting attendants state they are looking for qualified professionals in the private sector to refer vets to. I sat next to a woman who explained her Houston based rehabilitation group just received a $2,000,000 federal grant to treat military TBI but no one was coming in for treatment! Program Administrators are looking for patients. And they are not in short supply.
The consensus is communication issues disconnect treatment and services from veteran patients. That, along with poor education inhibiting TBI wounded warriors from seeking help until, for instance, their spouse threatens to leave them unless they “get help.” Unfortunately this means some vets do not seek help for years. Hence there is concern that we are not identifying the TBI wounded quickly enough.
The media is currently focused on TBI relating to Iraq and Afghanistan vets. But will it be 3 years from now? What are the long term consequences for these wounded warriors?
Iraq will produce a generation of veterans with injury analogous to PTSD and Agent Orange in Vietnam. It may be honorable and politically correct to espouse a willingness to “die for your country.” But are we willing to espouse “being permanently disabled for the rest of my life for my country?” And will my country take me as I “become” and provide for me medically, emotionally, and cognitively?
The Blast Injury Institute will endeavor to collect data and provide congress with pertinent information about TBI resulting from blasts. The Institute has its eyes on the legislature at the federal and state level and is monitoring the numerous bills being drafted and passed through the senate and house. The objective is to secure funding and apply it appropriately. The objective is care for the wounded warrior.
To read more about NABIS and the Blast Injury Institute click here
