Rehabilitative Care

Last updated on 2009-08-06 09:44:33

Rehabilitative Care:

Rehabilitative care plays a critical role in the assessment, management, and disposition of the injured combatants. The Departments of Defense (DoD) and Veterans Affairs (VA) are working to improve their coordination of health care of Service members and veterans, particularly at the time of separation from the military and they have dramatically improved the continuity of care for those who have returned from a combat zone. FHP&R is dedicated to ensuring that Service members are provided outstanding clinical care and streamlined administrative processes to quickly, effectively and seamlessly transition them from a medical facility and either back to duty status or to the VA health care system after separation.

The critical elements for a seamless transition of health services from one agency to another are:

a full understanding of medical care capabilities within both agencies by all medical providers involved,
clear communications of the transition plan between providers in each agency and with the patient and patient's family,
timely transfer of all pertinent medical records before or at the time of transfer of the patient, and
ongoing communication after the transfer of the patient between the medical providers in each agency and with the patient and patient's family.

The DoD and VA continue to ensure improvements in the transition of health care between the agencies and advocate early and concise communications to Service members and their families about the DoD and VA benefits and programs they are entitled to based on their military status and service.

We have made tremendous progress in rehabilitative care and the groundwork has been laid for even greater progress in the near future. We are firmly committed to continued improvement in protection for the health of our Service members. The medical personnel of our combined services are doing outstanding work to develop and implement the FHP&R rehabilitative programs necessary to field the most fit and healthy force in the world.

Resources:

The State of the Military Health System, "Transforming Strategy into Action: Partners in Excellence," was held January 29-February 1, 2007, Seamless Transition: How are the Department of Defense (DoD)/Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Coordinating Care? [PPT]