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New clinic to heal the unseen

By Ilka Cole, Team Eglin Public Affairs / Published March 23, 2017

“Healing America’s Heroes through the Power of the Arts” Marine Staff Sgt. Anthony Mannino performs Art Therapy as part of his Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) treatment and recovery. Art Therapy Interns, Adrienne Stamper (L) and Nancy Parfitt instruct and work with Staff Sgt. Mannino as he receives his art therapy. The therapy is conducted at the National Intrepid Center of Excellence, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center located in Bethesda, Maryland. (Department of Defense photo by Marvin Lynchard)
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A service member performs art therapy as part of his traumatic brain injury (TBI) treatment and recovery. The Invisible Wounds Clinic will provide traditional clinical services in addition to complementary and alternative medicine, creative arts and meditative therapies. (Department of Defense photo by Marvin Lynchard)

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EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- The 96th Medical Group was recently selected to standup the Air Force’s first Invisible Wounds Clinic here.

The hospital was chosen as the Air Force site due to the at-risk population stationed in the surrounding areas such as Air Force special operations forces, the Army’s Special Forces, Army Rangers, explosive ordnance disposal Airmen and Navy School EOD.

The IWC will fill an identified gap in warrior care and is a priority of the Chief of Staff of the Air Force and the Air Force Surgeon General. The IW clinic will focus on those with post-traumatic stress, traumatic brain injury, and associated pain conditions.

“We have military members who come back from deployments with issues to work through. Often, it’s the things you don’t see that we need to deal with,” said Lt. Col. Artemus Armas, 96th Medical Group, healthcare integrator.  “We also have members who haven’t been to war, but suffered traumatic brain injuries in an accident or other harrowing events.  Everyone has different coping levels.”

The Eglin team will model the clinic here after other Department of Defense warrior care clinics based on proven best practices and lessons learned from those sites.

The IWC will treat and support the area’s service members through integrative medicine, a combination of conventional and complimentary therapies.  The facility will also provide a range of treatments and rehabilitation capabilities tailored to individual patient needs.

It will provide traditional clinical sciences in addition to complementary and alternative medicine, creative arts and meditative therapies. The goal of the clinic is to restore patients to their highest level of functionality.

A person-centered, holistic approach to treatment of these injuries will address emotional, physical, spiritual, mental, and social well-being, as well as the environmental factors that may influence the healing process, according to Armas.

Eglin’s IWC will use computer and satellite technology that allows doctors to evaluate, diagnose and treat patients remotely without the need for in-person visits if necessary.

Art and music therapy, yoga, acupuncture, physical and occupational therapy and mental health services will also be included in treatment.

“We are proud to be the pioneers for the Air Force in the treatment of PTS, TBI and pain.  Our goal is to improve the condition of all persons suffering, sometimes silently, from their invisible wounds,” said Col. Eveline Yao, 96th Medical Group commander.