Studies seek to improve everyday life after injury, amputationFrom the impact of prosthetics on energy and strength to its influence on daily tasks, experts share research being done on musculoskeletal injuries at the Military Health System Research Symposium in Kissimmee, Florida. (Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Adrian Cadiz)Dealing with the ups and downs after an amputation or injury can be difficult and frustrating. From the effects of prosthetics on the energy and strength of a person to the influence on daily tasks, researchers look for answers that lead to solutions. During this week’s Military Health System Research Symposium in Kissimmee, Florida, experts share insight into the growing area of research studying different aspects of everyday life after an injury.
Dr. Brittney Mazzone, a research physical therapist with the Extremity Trauma and Amputation Center of Excellence, or EACE, and the Naval Medical Center San Diego, studied tobacco and alcohol use among 120 service members, all males with an average age of 26, one year before and one year after a below-knee amputation.
“We did have significant findings for both tobacco and alcohol use,” said Mazzone, while speaking at the Military Health System Research Symposium Aug. 28. For tobacco use, 42.7 percent reported using the product before the procedure and the number increased to 57.5 after. Alcohol use was reported in 50.4 percent of subjects before the amputation, whereas the number increased to 68.6 percent after. While this study was small in sample size, the study will expand from 120 to 2,000 service members, with an additional focus on different types of amputations.
“It’s already known that these habits can be detrimental to one’s health,” said Mazzone, who stressed that tobacco use can lead to complications after an amputation, including failure to heal. Alcohol can increase risk for musculoskeletal conditions, heart and liver diseases, and diabetes. It can also lead to complications after an amputation, including poor wound healing, infection, sepsis, pneumonia, bleeding, longer hospital stays, and possibly admission into an intensive care unit, said Mazzone. Having this kind of information can show where service members and veterans may need additional support to lead healthier lives. Programs, such as UcanQuit2 and That Guy are available to help service members and veterans quit tobacco and alcohol use.
Researchers also reported on other studies related to recovery from amputation or limb injury. Jill Cancio, an occupational therapist with EACE, studied the validity of a hand-function exercise for patients who have a hand injury. The study involved subjects doing a test including about 20 everyday tasks, such as putting pills into a pill box, folding clothes, and packing a suitcase, with their dominant or non-dominant hand.
“Hand functions affect all aspects of one’s life,” said Cancio. “Understanding individual hand function can assist therapists with the process of determining relevant treatment approaches and realistic treatment outcomes.”
Research suggests that the dominant and non-dominant hands each function differently during task performance, said Cancio. Because of these differences, it’s important for rehabilitation professionals to separately assess their abilities. The study shows a ‘suitcase-packing activity’ has validity in recognizing and diagnosing functional abilities after a hand injury. Future research can use this information to focus on more specific groups, such as patients with amputations, said Cancio.
The Military Health System Research Symposium brings together medical providers, researchers, and senior leaders to share research and health care advancements. The symposium highlights research for combat casualty care, operational medicine, clinical and rehabilitative medicine, and infectious diseases.
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Changes Are Coming to TRICARE. Are You Ready?Changes are coming to your TRICARE benefit beginning January 1, 2018. These changes will give you more benefit choices, improving your access to care and simplifying cost shares. The best way to prepare is to update your information in DEERS, sign up for TRICARE benefit updates, and visit the TRICARE Changes page.TRICARE Is Changing. Here is what you need to know:
Region Consolidation
Currently, there are three TRICARE regions in the U.S. to include TRICARE North, South and West. The TRICARE North and South regions will combine to form TRICARE East, while TRICARE West will remain mostly unchanged. Two new contractors, Humana Military and Health Net Federal Services, will administer these regions. This change will allow better coordination between the military hospitals and clinics and the civilian health care providers in each region.
TRICARE Select
A new program, TRICARE Select will replace TRICARE Standard and TRICARE Extra both stateside and overseas. Stateside, TRICARE Select will be a self-managed, preferred provider network option. You will not be required to have a primary care manager (PCM) and therefore you can visit any TRICARE-authorized provider. There are two types of TRICARE-authorized providers: Network and Non-Network. for services covered by TRICARE without a referral. Overseas, TRICARE Overseas Select will be a preferred provider organization-styled plan that provides access to both network and non-network TRICARE authorized providers for medically necessary. TRICARE covered services. TRICARE Select adopts a number of improvements, including additional preventive care services previously only offered to TRICARE PrimeA managed care option available in Prime Service Areas in the United States; you have an assigned primary care manager who provides most of your care.TRICARE Prime beneficiaries.
TRICARE Prime
TRICARE Prime is a managed care program option. An assigned PCM provides most of your care. When you need specialty care, your PCM will refer you to a specialist. Active duty service members and their family members do not pay anything when referred to a network provider by their PCM. All others pay annual enrollment fees and network copayments.
Enrollment
All current TRICARE beneficiaries will be automatically enrolled into plans on January 1, 2018 as long as they are eligible. TRICARE Prime enrollees will remain in TRICARE Prime. TRICARE Standard and ExtraA fee-for-service option in the United States that allows you to get care from any TRICARE-authorized provider.TRICARE Standard and Extra beneficiaries will be enrolled in TRICARE Select. During 2018, you can choose to enroll in or change coverage plans. Enrollment will move to a calendar year open enrollment period beginning in the fall of 2018, during which active enrollment will be required for coverage for the following year. The open enrollment period for will begin on the Monday of the second full week in November and run through the Monday of the second full week in December of each calendar year.
Are You Ready? Take Action Now:
You can begin to prepare for the upcoming changes now by:
This is YOUR Benefit – Take Command! Stay informed with the latest information:
In the coming months, more information will be available www.tricare.mil/changes. To stay informed, sign up for email alerts. You can also get alerts by signing up for eCorrespondence in milConnect. By staying informed, you’ll be ready for a smooth transition with TRICARE.
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NHRC Shares Research that Supports Warfighter Readiness at MHSRSKISSIMEE, Fla. – (Aug. 27, 2017) Rear Adm. Paul Pearigen, commander, Navy Medicine West (NMW) and chief of the Navy Medical Corps, and Dr. Kenneth Earhart, Naval Health Research Center’s (NHRC) science director, at the 2017 Military Health System Research Symposium (MHSRS). The MHSRS is the Department of Defense’s annual four-day scientific symposium and the only military or civilian meeting that focuses specifically on the unique medical needs of the warfighter. NMW has oversight of Navy Medicine’s research and development enterprise as well as all eight of Navy Medicine’s research laboratories. The labs, including NHRC, engage in a broad spectrum of research from basic laboratory science to field studies in operational environments at remote sites around the world. (U.S. Navy photo by Regena Kowitz/released)KISSIMMEE, Florida – Scientists from the Naval Health Research Center (NHRC) attended the 2017 Military Health System Research Symposium (MHRSRS), Aug. 27-30, to share their latest research that supports the readiness and health of U.S. warfighters.
MHSRS is a scientific meeting focused on the unique medical research needs of the U.S. armed forces. Scientists from across the Department of Defense (DoD), share information about current research initiatives for new treatments and prevention measures for injuries and diseases that improve mission readiness and protect the health of warfighters on and off the battlefield.
“I assumed command two weeks ago and this symposium was the perfect opportunity to learn more about our researchers and their work,” said Capt. Marshall Monteville, NHRC’s commanding officer. “The presentations on NHRC’s current studies provided valuable insight about the readiness questions and challenges our lab is answering. Our warfighters are operating in an uncertain world and they need to be prepared for whatever threat comes their way. It’s our job, as researchers, to anticipate the threats to their health and readiness to support their preparedness.”
Among the keynote speakers was Dr. David Smith, acting principle deputy assistant secretary of defense for health affairs, who told researchers they were the critical human foundation for military medicine’s successes in saving lives on and off the battlefield.
Researchers from each of NHRC’s core research areas—Operational Readiness and Health, Operational Infectious Diseases, and Military Population Health— are doing their part to advance the success of military medicine and help prepare warfighters for the battlespace of the future, wherever that may be.
During the symposium, NHRC’s scientists shared their research findings with military medicine colleagues and partners from academia and industry on a broad array of topics during breakout and poster sessions that highlight the innovative work they’re doing, including:
- New-onset asthma and deployment
- Adenovirus serotypes
- Meningococcal disease surveillance
- Health-related quality of life among combat-injured military
- Musculoskeletal injury risk
- Military eye injury rates
- Identifying neuromarkers for mTBI in an immersive virtual reality environment
As the DoD’s premier deployment health research center, NHRC’s cutting-edge research and development is used to optimize the operational health and readiness of the nation’s armed forces. In proximity to more than 95,000 active duty service members, world-class universities, and industry partners, NHRC sets the standard in joint ventures, innovation, and translational research.
Disclaimer: Re-published content may have been edited for length and clarity. Read original post.
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