Post-deployment assessment improves health care

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. David A. Jablonski
  • Air Force Print News
The Air Force surgeon general is meeting the health challenges of airmen returning from Operation Iraqi Freedom with a more vigorous, face-to-face approach.

Health-care providers have expanded and improved existing procedures by combining a larger database of existing health information about airmen, with more detailed information collected throughout their deployment, said Col. Deneice Van Hook, the SG’s director of operational health support.

Injuries, changes in health, environmental conditions, and other potential factors are looked at with greater scrutiny to ensure any changes are documented and assessed, she said.

“Throughout the ‘90s we have always done post-deployment health assessments, but our approach now is much more robust,” Van Hook said. “In the past, our post-deployment health-assessment questionnaire was a minimal form with six questions. The new form has 24 questions and airmen now meet face-to-face with health-care providers to look at actual things they may have come in contact with while deployed, and to personally and privately discuss physical- or mental-health issues. It gives them a more secure feeling that somebody cares about their health.”

This aggressive approach is part of a process that spans the length of an airman’s career from accession through retirement and beyond, she said.

“The improvements in automation over the last 10 years have helped us compile personal health-care data and look at it in a better way,” Van Hook said. “It’s part of an ongoing process to improve our ability to care for airmen.

Before an airman deploys, health-care providers ensure all data is current and that any pre-existing conditions that may preclude deployment, such as pregnancy, are identified. Airmen also complete a detailed pre-deployment questionnaire, receive a thorough medical records review, provide a blood sample, and obtain information about possible hazards that may exist at the deployment location.

During the deployment, health, and health risks are monitored, usually by a deployed preventive-medicine team. The team monitors issues such as food, water and environmental hazards. Any chemical or biological threats are assessed on the spot and adjustments for protection are made while in theater.

For example, if mosquitoes present a malaria threat, technicians can devise a plan to control the threat and provide preventive treatment. Teams are also able to adapt to changes within the deployment location or to follow-on locations.

As part of the redeployment process airmen also undergo a detailed, face-to-face health assessment. Technicians ensure a new blood sample is collected and stored for future reference. Within 30 days of return, a quality-assurance check is performed to ensure all requirements were met and the medical record is complete.

“Our focus is preventive and long term,” said Van Hook. “Our goal is to have a total health picture of the individual by capturing conditions in their workplace, in their home and at every location that person has deployed to. We take a look at how all these things interact so we can do a better job at predicting and preventing potential illnesses.”

This preventive approach to health care at work, at home and in the field represents a more long-term approach that allows health-care providers to better predict illness and keep one step ahead of the threat, Van Hook said.