DVBIC Timeline

2009

  • 3rd Annual TBI Military Training Conference held
  • Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System joined DVBIC network
  • DVBIC partnered with the Joint Chiefs of Staff on a mission to Iraq and Afghanistan, seeking to optimize and improve care of our wounded warriors with TBI and concussion
  • DVBIC led the US delegation to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) exploratory team on concussion/mild TBI (mTBI) to begin development of international standards
  • Co-sponsored the scientific meeting of the International Brain Injury Association
  • Participated in the first US-Japan TBI symposium as well as military information exchanges with both Israel and the Republic of Korea
2008

  • DVBIC Tele-TBI Clinic and Remote Assessment Center established
  • Laurel Highlands Neuro-Rehabilitation Center renamed “DVBIC-Johnstown”
  • Defense Health Board-appointed Family Caregiver Panel held first meeting
  • Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)/Department of Defense (DoD) Evidence Based Work Group: convened to work on evidence based guidelines for mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI)/concussion
  • Special Issues mTBI/concussion conference held
  • BrainLine.org launched in collaboration with WETA
  • First issue of DVBIC Brainwaves newsletter published
  • 2nd Annual TBI Military Training Conference held

2007

  • COL (Sel) Michael S Jaffee, MD named DVBIC National Director
  • Camp Lejeune, NC joined DVBIC network
  • Fort Hood, TX joined DVBIC network
  • “Survive Thrive & Alive: Understanding Traumatic Brain Injury” documentary released featuring General Colin L Powell, USA (Ret)
  • tbi.consult in-theater consultation launched
  • 1st Annual TBI Military Training Conference held
  • DVBIC mission expanded to include TBI surveillance per Department of Defense-Health Affairs policy
  • Clinical Management Guidance for non-deployed medical activities (mTBI/concussion) released
  • Regional Care Coordination program launched
  • DVBIC designated the primary operational TBI component of the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury (DCoE)

2006

  • Laurel Highlands Neuro-Rehabilitation Center (precursor to DVBIC-Johnstown and second civilian site) joined DVBIC network
  • Landstuhl Regional Medical Center (LRMC) in Germany joined DVBIC network
  • “Guidelines for field management of combat-related head trauma” developed in coordination with the Brain Trauma Foundation
  • Military Acute Concussion Evaluation (MACE) deployed
  • Hosted consensus conference for deployment of acute management of mTBI/concussion in theater guidelines
  • Completed a second randomized study of two approaches to TBI rehabilitation in a large sample of Veterans Affairs (VA) patients with moderate-to-severe TBI

2005

  • Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC) joined DVBIC network through formation of San Antonio Military Medical Center (SAMMC), TX with Wilford Hall Medical Center (WHMC)
  • Fort Bragg, NC and Fort Carson, CO joined DVBIC network
  • TBI surveillance efforts began per tasking of the Office of the Surgeon General (OTSG) and Department of Defense-Health Affairs
  • Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) augmented DVBIC resources to create Polytrauma system of care
  • Video teleconferencing began between Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC) and Veterans Affairs (VA) polytrauma centers to facilitate a seamless transition of care

2004

  • Lessons-Learned Military TBI Conference held at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS) in Bethesda, MD
  • National Institute of Health (NIH) began Phase III of Vietnam Head Injury Study (VHIS)
  • Joint Readiness Clinical Advisory Board established

2003

  • Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) began
  • Convened an expert advisory board that recommended assigning top priority to the characterization of wartime TBI cohorts, in terms of both acute and long-term outcomes
  • First comprehensive TBI screening program in an at-risk hospitalized population was initiated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC)
  • dvbic.org website launched

2001

  • Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) in Afghanistan began
  • “Defense and Veterans Head Injury Program” (DVHIP) renamed “Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center” (DVBIC)
  • Deborah L Warden, MD succeeded Andres M Salazar, MD as National Director
  • Virginia NeuroCare, Inc. became first civilian partner, providing community re-entry services

2000

  • Conducted and published first large randomized clinical trial of TBI rehabilitation
1999
  • Concussion Clinic established by DVHIP at Camp Pendleton, CA
1994
  • Naval Medical Center San Diego (NMCSD) became DVHIP lead TBI center

1993-2000

  • DVHIP documented incidence of TBI during peacetime

1992

  • Brain Injury Resource Center (BIRC) developed in collaboration with the Brain Injury Association – an interactive information kiosk for patients, families and caregivers
  • Congress established the “Defense and Veterans Head Injury Program” (DVHIP).  Lead TBI centers were:
    • Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC)
    • Wilford Hall Medical Center (WHMC)
    • Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC)
    • Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS)
    • Hunter Holmes McGuire Veterans Medical Center
    • James A Haley Veterans Affairs Medical Center
1991
  • Persian Gulf War (First Gulf War) ended

1981

  • National Institutes of Health (NIH) began Phase II of Vietnam Head Injury Study (VHIS)

1974

  • National Institutes of Health (NIH) began Phase I of Vietnam Head Injury Study (VHIS)