High-quality care is based on the best available research evidence and adheres to clinical practice guidelines. Reduced geographic, financial, sociocultural, and other barriers.Providing flexible payment options, transportation and lodging, and flexible scheduling can expand access to care for veterans. Furthermore, programs that provide high-quality care work to address and reduce or eliminate geographic, financial, sociocultural, and other barriers. Veterans should not have to wait long to obtain the care they need. High-quality care is both accessible and timely. Family/caregiver involvement in care, according to the veteran's preferences.Shared decisionmaking between the veteran and provider.Ongoing assessment of veterans' care experiences.Cultural competence: an understanding of military and veteran culture, as well as veterans' experiences and identity.Finally, treatment decisions should include family members and caregivers, according to the veteran's preferences.

Ideally, there will be a protocol for shared decisionmaking. Veterans should also be involved in treatment decisions.

Veteran-centered care requires ongoing assessment of veterans' satisfaction with their care, their perceived ability to access care, their perceptions about provider communication, and other aspects of their care experience. Providing veteran-centered care requires health care providers to be familiar with veteran culture and identity, the implications of military service, and the needs of diverse populations of veterans-a concept known as cultural competence. Similar to the traditional health care model of patient-centered care, the goal of veteran-centered care is to provide effective and timely treatment that addresses the unique needs, values, and preferences of veterans. Veteran Wellness Alliance partners already practice aspects of high-quality care, but a shared definition would help improve coordination and could serve as a model for the treatment of PTSD and TBI. Operationalizing this definition and improving care for veterans will require common metrics drawing on a variety of data sources to provide a comprehensive picture of veterans' needs, experiences, treatment progress, and outcomes. Share on TwitterĪ literature review and semistructured interviews with Veteran Wellness Alliance partners highlighted standards that can serve as a foundation for efforts to develop a definition of high-quality care for veterans with PTSD and TBI. High-quality care for invisible wounds should be veteran-centered, accessible, and evidence-based, and it should include outcome monitoring.

Invisible wounds by jess ruliffson