Tripler promotes Traumatic Brain Injury Awareness Month

By Air Force Tech. Sgt. Michael Holzworth, Defense Media ActivityMarch 26, 2013

Tripler promotes Traumatic Brain Injury Awareness Month
1 / 8 Show Caption + Hide Caption – In an effort to helpeducate beneficiaries on what brain injury services and support are available, a Brain Injury Awareness Open House was held, March 21, 2013, at Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu. The Pacific Regional Medical Command's Trauma... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Tripler promotes Traumatic Brain Injury Awareness Month
2 / 8 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Capt. Glenndale Williams, Tripler Army Medical Center resource management division, attends the a Brain Injury Awareness Open House, March 21, 2013, at Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu. The Pacific Regional Medical Command's Traumatic Brain In... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Tripler promotes Traumatic Brain Injury Awareness Month
3 / 8 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Shinnelle Moruf, an audiology graduate student from Colorado University, Boulder, Colo. and Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant Tania DeGuisti, demonstrate how technology like the video gaming systems Nintendo Wii helps improve balance, coordina... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Tripler promotes Traumatic Brain Injury Awareness Month
4 / 8 Show Caption + Hide Caption – In an effort to help educate beneficiaries on what brain injury services and support are available, a Brain Injury Awareness Open House was held, March 21, 2013, at Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu. The Pacific Regional Medical Command's Traum... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Tripler promotes Traumatic Brain Injury Awareness Month
5 / 8 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Sgt. 1st Class David Paz, demonstrates a general balance test while wearing a pair of frenzel glasses, which are used during vestibular bedside testing to illuminate the eyes and suppress fixation, during a Brain Injury Awareness Open House, March 21... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Tripler promotes Traumatic Brain Injury Awareness Month
6 / 8 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Denby Fukuda Rall (right), assists Sgt. 1st Class David Paz, to demonstrate a general balance test while wearing a pair of frenzel glasses, which are used during vestibular bedside testing to illuminate the eyes and suppress fixation, during a Brain ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Tripler promotes Traumatic Brain Injury Awareness Month
7 / 8 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Denby Fukuda Rall (right), chief of the Audiology Clinic, shares a laugh with Dr. Raymond Folen, chief of the Department of Psychology during a Brain Injury Awareness Open House, March 21, 2013, at Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu. The Pacific... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Tripler promotes Traumatic Brain Injury Awareness Month
8 / 8 Show Caption + Hide Caption – In an effort to help educate beneficiaries on what brain injury services and support are available, a Brain Injury Awareness Open House was held March 21, 2013, at Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu. The Pacific Regional Medical Command's Trauma... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

HONOLULU (March 25, 2012) -- Traumatic Brain Injury is a disruption of brain function resulting from a blow or jolt to the head or a penetrating head injury.

Causes of Traumatic Brain Injuries, or TBIs, may include falls, motor vehicle crashes, injuries to the head during sports, and combat-related events such as blasts. Medical providers classify TBI as mild, moderate, severe, or penetrating primarily based on neurological status at the time of injury. The overwhelming majority of TBIs are mild, also known as "concussions." Early identification and receiving prompt medical care is essential to maximizing recovery.

The Army has invested over $530 million to improve access to care, quality of care, research, as well as screening and surveillance for Soldiers with TBI and provides a standardized, comprehensive program delivering a continuum of integrated care from point-of-injury to return to duty or transition from active duty. The desired end-state is to deliver responsive, reliable, and relevant TBI care that enhances Soldier and unit readiness, optimizes value, and transforms the care experience of our Soldiers and their families.

In late 2009, the Army implemented its own mild TBI(mTBI)/concussive injury management strategy of "Educate, Train, Treat, and Track." In 2010, DOD outlined a new policy for TBI care in the deployed setting. This policy was recently codified as a DOD instruction and explicitly directs that any deployed Soldier who is involved in a potentially concussive event, must undergo a medical evaluation and have a minimum rest period.

Medical and rehabilitation providers deployed far forward on the battlefield promptly identify and treat Soldiers with concussion, refer to higher levels of care if needed, and conduct follow-up medical evaluations before returning these Soldiers back to duty.

According to DOD's Military Health System, over 147,000 Soldiers have sustained a TBI since January 2000. TBI not only impacts mission integrity and force health protection, but also affects military family members. The Army remains committed to providing world-class healthcare for our wounded Soldiers and their families.

The Army will continue to aggressively educate all Soldiers about TBI, conduct vital research, continue neurocognitive testing, validate every Army hospital that provides TBI care, increase tele-health infrastructure, and train medical providers. In order to accomplish these goals, the Army collaborates with many partners ranging from DOD to academic institutions to deliver the best TBI care possible.

(Information taken from the Army's STAND-TO!, published on Brain Injury Awareness Month, March 5, 2013.)

Related Links:

Wounded warrior: Brain injury 'doesn't mean you're broken'

'Invisible wounds' taking toll, Congress told

Womack Army Medical Center hosts traumatic brain injury panel

Army.mil: Health News

STAND-TO!: Traumatic Brain Injury

STAND-TO!: National Brain Injury Awareness Month

Army.mil: Traumatic Brain Injury

Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center

Tripler Army Medical Center, Hawaii

Medical Research and Materiel Command's Blast Injury Research Program

Tripler Army Medical Center on Facebook