July/August 2007

AAPM&R Launches New Effort Regarding Injured Soldier Issues

In Brief: The Academy and its Injured Soldier Work Group have taken several steps recently to involve PM&R physicians in the long-term care of the country’s injured soldiers.

The American Academy of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (AAPM&R) has an enduring history of involvement with rehabilitation services for active duty military and veterans, and has taken steps to revitalize its role with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Department of Defense (DoD) in planning and providing rehabilitation services to soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with severe disabilities such as traumatic brain injury (TBI) and amputations.
Working toward this goal, AAPM&R President Joel Press, MD, contacted the VA and the DoD to encourage the maintenance and enhancement of this positive collaboration.

In addition, the Academy has established the Injured Soldier Work Group to address the specialty’s concerns around returning veterans’ issues. The Academy and the work group, chaired by Stuart Glassman, MD, have achieved the following:

• Met with and initiated a collaborative agenda with the VA and a commitment to pursue additional resources for rehabilitation services for returning veterans

• Contacted the DoD to explore possible collaborative relationships

• Supported federal legislation to expand the polytrauma program in the outpatient sector by requiring VA screening for TBI and a long-term rehabilitation outpatient care program in the four polytrauma centers in the United States as well as an authority for VA polytrauma centers to contract with “private entities”

• Endorsed federal supplemental appropriations for “Medical and Prosthetic Research” to be used for “research related to the unique medical needs of returning Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom Veterans.” This includes medical services, facilities, administration, and research.

• Met on Capitol Hill with key Veterans’ Affairs Committee staff;

• Planned participation in a Symposium on TBI sponsored by the US House of Representatives Committee on Veterans’ Affairs’

• Visited with representatives from organizations including Wounded Warriors Project, and Veterans Service Organizations including the Disabled Veterans of America and Paralyzed Veterans to develop a dialogue on these issues and build an appreciation of these organizations’ perspectives; and

• Planned a major national initiative with the VA to make providers aware of rehabilitation resources that are available in the civilian sector.

The national surge in awareness of returning veterans’ issues can be seen most notably in Washington, DC, where several committees with jurisdiction over Veterans Affairs, active military personnel, and even civilian health care programs, are focusing as never before on improving the delivery of medical rehabilitation care for returning wounded soldiers experiencing polytrauma (including TBI, amputation, spinal cord injury, severe musculoskeletal injury) and the follow-up care they receive in order to return to full function. Although little legislation has been signed into law as of this date, several congressional committees of jurisdiction over these programs are actively considering issues and programs that impact the field of PM&R. AAPM&R will continue to monitor legislation and forge new strategies and relationships to serve the needs of returning service men and women. For more information, please contact Suzanne Butler at the AAPM&R National office at 312-464-9700 or e-mail at sbutler@aapmr.org.

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