Postdeployment Health Reassessment: A Sustainable Method for Brigade Combat Teams

Abstract

The Postdeployment Health Reassessment (PDHRA) was mandated in 2006 and the 3rd Infantry Division was the first unit to perform a large-scale implementation. This article outlines a reproducible model for conducting PDHRA using only existing resources. The PDHRA (DD 2900) screening and referral processes are reviewed and data on positive screens are reported. Of the 12,817 soldiers who participated in the mass screening, 1,460 (11.4%) were referred for behavioral health, 815 (6.4%) for primary care, 71 (0.01%) for specialty services, and 9 (0.001%) for emergency services. Consult requests were higher in maneuver brigades than in support units (12.1% versus 8.6% for behavioral health and 6.9% versus 4.4% for primary care referrals). All (1,460, 100%) of the behavioral health consults were completed on-site and the unit incurred no additional financial cost in conducting this process. This method for performing a large-scale implementation of the PDHRA provides a flexible, efficient, and cost-effective process that could be implemented at the brigade combat team level without difficulty and in most locations without significant impact on other medical demands.