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

• 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

• Concussion Clinic established by DVHIP at Camp Pendleton, CA

• 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

• 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)