The Defense Health Agency (DHA) has launched the Warfighter Brain Health Provider Toolkit, a mobile app designed to assist healthcare providers in the assessment and treatment of mild traumatic brain injury (TBI), also known as concussion. Released in May 2024, this app equips clinicians with essential tools and resources to evaluate and manage brain health issues, both online and offline.
“The WBH Provider Toolkit is accessible on any smartphone, providing clinicians with tools to assess, evaluate, and treat patients with TBI or symptoms related to potential brain health threats,” said Stephanie Maxfield-Panker, the DHA’s Traumatic Brain Injury Center of Excellence (TBICoE) clinical affairs section chief. The app was developed by clinical experts from TBICoE, a branch of the DHA’s Research and Engineering Directorate.
The app guides providers through the TBI evaluation process, offering summary information to aid in injury management. “It’s intended for use at the point of injury and beyond,” added Gary McKinney, TBICoE chief of clinical practice and clinical recommendations.
Key features of the app include interactive tools such as the Military Acute Concussion Evaluation 2 (MACE 2), a concussion assessment tool; the Progressive Return to Activity Clinical Recommendation, which provides guidance on when a service member can return to duty; and the Neurobehavioral Symptom Inventory, a self-report questionnaire for measuring post-concussion symptoms. MACE 2 and NSI are automated within the app.
Crucially, the app functions offline once downloaded, ensuring providers have access to vital information even in remote or deployed settings. Updates are pushed through when an approved network becomes available.
The WBH Provider Toolkit aligns with the DHA Strategic Plan by standardizing care and modernizing health care delivery, reflecting the agency’s commitment to leveraging new technologies to support warfighter health.
Read More: Click Here
