South Dakota Health Care Providers to Learn About PTSD

South Dakota Health Care Providers to Learn About PTSD at TriWest and VA-Sponsored Conference



SIOUX FALLS, S.D., Feb. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the National
Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), one in six returning
service members will develop PTSD or other combat stress-related disorders.
Affected service members may suffer memory loss, irritability, depression,
trouble sleeping and other challenges within 60 to 90 days post deployment,
but these symptoms may occur earlier or later. If left untreated, symptoms
could cause serious physical and mental health problems for service members
and their families.

To address and support the health care needs of South Dakota's military
families, TriWest Healthcare Alliance and U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs
(VA) Medical Centers in South Dakota (Sioux Falls and Black Hills) are
hosting a "Combat Stress-related Disorders" videoconference on Wednesday,
Feb. 20, 2008. The videoconference will last from 1 until 4 p.m. CST (noon
to 3 p.m. MST).

The videoconference will bring together nearly 150 community-based
physicians, nurses, psychiatrists and other health care professionals that
care for service members and their families. The providers will learn to
identify symptoms of PTSD, traumatic brain injury (TBI) and other
combat-stress disorders, as well as treatment methods.

Key conference presenters are Paul Rentz, Ph.D., staff psychologist at
Sioux Falls VA Medical Center; and Ashok V. Kumar, M.D., director of Sleep
Lab and Respiratory Division at VA Black Hills Health Care System and chief
of Aviation Medicine at South Dakota Army National Guard (SDARNG).

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