Palo Alto, CA: Local DVBIC Activities

VA Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS), Palo Alto, CA

DVBIC and the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Veterans Health Administration are partners in clinical care, education, research and care coordination for veterans and active duty service members who have sustained a traumatic brain injury (TBI). DVBIC core personnel are located at each of the VA Regional Polytrauma Rehabilitation Centers, located in Minneapolis, Palo Alto, Richmond and Tampa; a fifth site is planned for San Antonio.

Today's veterans with traumatic brain injuries are receiving state-of-the-art treatment and rehabilitation in the Polytrauma System of Care. Polytrauma Rehabilitation Centers (PRC) coordinates the transfer and provision of healthcare for patients with TBI and other serious injuries within the VA system and between VA and the Department of Defense.

The VA Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS) is currently one of four PRC in the country. It consists of three inpatient facilities located at Palo Alto, Menlo Park, and Livermore plus six outpatient clinics in San Jose, Capitola, Monterey, Stockton, Modesto, and Sonora. These facilities provide some of the world’s finest medical care and cutting-edge technology. We provide comprehensive, high-quality, individually tailored rehabilitation planning, and inter-disciplinary care to patients.

The Polytrauma Center Scope of Service includes Comprehensive Interdisciplinary Inpatient Evaluations, Acute Comprehensive Interdisciplinary Inpatient Rehabilitation, Emerging Consciousness, Transitional Community Re-entry, Reevaluations, Ongoing Case Management and Follow-up, Out Patient Therapy, as well as, Consultation.

Military liaisons located within VAPAHCS are an important resource for active duty families and VA staff. They coordinate care and service benefits for service members and their families. They also work to resolve administrative issues involving travel for family members, lodging, reimbursement and pay issues, and transportation and/or shipment of household or personal goods.

VAPAHCS is a teaching hospital, providing a full range of patient care services, with state-of-the-art technology as well as education and research. VAPAHCS is home to a variety of regional treatment centers, including a Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center, Spinal Cord Injury Center, a Comprehensive Rehabilitation Center, a Traumatic Brain Injury Center, the Western Blind Rehabilitation Center, a Geriatric Research Educational and Clinical Center, a Homeless Veterans Rehabilitation program, the National Center for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and the Women's Prevention Outreach & Education Center. An affiliation with the Stanford University School of Medicine provides a rich academic environment including medical training for physicians in virtually all specialties and subspecialties.