A population approach to mitigating the long-term health effects of combat deployments.
A major focus of the mission of the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is to respond to the needs of military personnel returning from war. Given the broad spectrum of the potential effects of combat deployment on the health and well being of service members, VA is increasingly oriented toward comprehensive postcombat support, health promotion, disease prevention, and proactive approaches to caring for combat veterans. This article briefly summarizes the health care needs of service members returning from Afghanistan and Iraq, describes VA's approaches to addressing their needs, and outlines VA's evolving vision for how to apply principles of population health management to ensure prompt and effective response to the postdeployment needs of veterans returning from future conflicts. At the heart of postcombat care will be population-based approaches oriented to health recovery using interdisciplinary, team-based platforms.
CADRE, Iowa City VA Healthcare System, 601 Hwy 6 W, Iowa City, IA 52246, USA. heather.reisinger@va.gov
Heather Schacht
HS
Reisinger
Stephen C
SC
Hunt
A Lucile
AL
Burgo-Black
Madhulika A
MA
Agarwal
D055826:Afghan Campaign 2001-; D000346:Afghanistan; D006801:Humans; D007493:Iraq; D054542:Iraq War, 2003-2011; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy; D014481:United States; D014493:United States Department of Veterans Affairs / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology*; D058014:Veterans Health / Q000592:standards*; D014857:Warfare; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000628:therapy