TBI vets face delays, poor access to care

TBI vets face delays, poor access to care

By Kelly Kennedy - Staff writer
Posted : Thursday May 6, 2010 15:35:37 EDT

Last month, a 24-year-old veteran received his first treatment for trauamtic brain injury from the Veterans Affairs Department — more than a year after he was discharged from the Marine Corps.

“The hand-off from [the Defense Department] to VA was very slow,” Jonathan Barrs told the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs on Wednesday. “So far, the VA care has been good, but this whole time of waiting was very hard, and I had to keep asking my primary care doctor for a consult, which took a very long time.”

His TBI was diagnosed in November 2008. He medically retired in May 2009. He began receiving care in April 2010.

“The injuries get worse with time,” said Michelle LaPlaca, associate professor of biomedical engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology. “The longer you wait, the less beneficial it will be for veterans.”
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TBI vets face delays, poor access to care