Sunday, July 25, 2010

Battlefield Healthcare Summit Coming

IDGA’s Battlefield Healthcare Summit “Combatant Care from Pre-to-Post Deployment” will be held at the San Diego Marriott Mission Valley Hotel on September 20-22, 2010. The military healthcare community will have an opportunity to come together to take part in advanced and focused discussions on up-to-date clinical diagnoses and treatment techniques and gain valuable knowledge on lessons learned from the battlefield.

This year’s summit is primarily dedicated to pre-deployment physical and mental healthcare and post deployment continuum of care. Attendees will walk away with a better understanding of the Army’s new Soldier Fitness Program, wound care and infection control strategies, military telemedicine, amputee care, and advances in TBI and PTSD care, plus other new and emerging topics.

Some of the specific topics to be presented on September 21st and 22nd include:

• Current initiatives at the Madigan Army Medical Center
• TBI clinical understanding and management from a neuropsychiatrist’s perspective
• Blast injury outcomes
• MTBI continuum of care
• Developing integrated MTBI care in the Afghan Theater
• Treating combat stress
• Advancing the VRT focus to treat psychological issues

In addition, panel discussions led by leaders in the field will be held so that participants will be able to earn continuing education credits.

Some of the expert speakers presenting are:

• James Kelly MD, PhD, Director, the National Intrepid Center of Excellence
• Edward Bagriele, PhD, Special Assistant to the Navy Surgeon General for Ethics & Professional Integrity, BUMED
• Col. Jerry Penner, Commander, Madigan Army Medical Center
• Col. Kurt W. Grathwohl, M.D. Medical Director, Surgical/Trauma Intensive Care Unit, BAMMC, Critical Care Consultant to the Army Surgeon General
• Col. Gerald W. Talcott, USAF, Chair Department of Behavioral Medicine, San Antonio Military Medical Center
• LTC Donald L. Helman M.D., Chief, Critical Care, TAMC
• LCDR Paul Sargent M.D, Staff Psychiatrist Comprehensive Combat and Complex Casualty Care, Naval Medical Center San Diego
• Julie C. Chapman PsyD., Principal Investigator MIND Study, Neuroscientist War-Related Illness & Injury Study Center, Washington D.C. VA Medical Center
• Nancy Kim PHD, Clinical Psychologist Comprehensive Combat and Complex Casually Care Program, Naval Medical Center San Diego
• Josef I. Ruzek, PhD, Director, Dissemination and Training Division, National Center for PTSD, VA Palo Alto Health Care System

A new and unique theater event is going to take place. An all new TBI/PTSD focus day dedicated to post deployment psychological health issues will feature a live performance of the Defense Center of Excellence’s “Theater of War” designed to increase awareness among care providers and service members, plus provide information on valuable resources.

Since 2008, “Theater of War” has presented readings of Sophocles’ Ajax, and Philoctetes to military communities across the U.S. These ancient plays timelessly and universally depict the psychological and physical wounds inflicted upon warriors by war.

By presenting these plays to military audiences, the hope is to de-stigmatize psychological injuries and open a safe space for dialogue on the challenges faced by service members, veterans, and their caregivers and families. Each reading is followed by a panel discussion and a town hall style discussion with the audience.

For more information on IDGA’s Battlefield Healthcare Summit, or to register, go to www.BattlefieldHealthCare.com or call 1-800-882-8684.