Staff Perspective: A Look at the Concussion Coach App
Technology is becoming a bigger and bigger part of all of our lives. We here at the Center for Deployment Psychology are always keeping an eye out for the latest innovations and advances that can help providers offer better care to Service members and their families. We recently came across the Concussion Coach mobile app and thought it was worth spotlighting.
It’s a particularly relevant moment for this app. The importance of diagnosing and treating concussions/mild Traumatic Brain Injuries (mTBI) has never been higher in the public consciousness. However, mTBIs can be confusing and often times people may even be unaware one has occurred. Many people are unaware of the definition, symptoms of mTBIs, and what to do about them. Symptoms may be attributed to another cause or ignored. The Concussion Coach may be able to help with this. The app “provides portable tools to assess symptoms and to facilitate use of coping strategies.”
It offers features for measuring and treating symptoms, building resilience, education about mTBI, as well as crisis and healthcare resources. While it’s not intended to replace treatment by a healthcare provider, it can be used alongside professional treatment to help support the process. Additional information about the Concussion Coach app, as well as handouts for both patients and providers, can be found on the VA’s site here.
The app was produced in collaboration by the Department of Veterans Affairs, the National Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and the National Center for Telehealth and Technology. It is currently available for iOS/Apple devices and will be out for Android by the end of the year.
For more information on other apps that providers may find useful, please visit the “Apps” section of CDP’s website here or check out Dr. Jenna Ermold’s “Got Apps?”. Feel free to share any useful apps you’ve found in the comments below or send us an email and we’ll try to feature them on the blog!
Chris Adams is the Center for Deployment Psychology’s Project Manager for Online Services
Technology is becoming a bigger and bigger part of all of our lives. We here at the Center for Deployment Psychology are always keeping an eye out for the latest innovations and advances that can help providers offer better care to Service members and their families. We recently came across the Concussion Coach mobile app and thought it was worth spotlighting.
It’s a particularly relevant moment for this app. The importance of diagnosing and treating concussions/mild Traumatic Brain Injuries (mTBI) has never been higher in the public consciousness. However, mTBIs can be confusing and often times people may even be unaware one has occurred. Many people are unaware of the definition, symptoms of mTBIs, and what to do about them. Symptoms may be attributed to another cause or ignored. The Concussion Coach may be able to help with this. The app “provides portable tools to assess symptoms and to facilitate use of coping strategies.”
It offers features for measuring and treating symptoms, building resilience, education about mTBI, as well as crisis and healthcare resources. While it’s not intended to replace treatment by a healthcare provider, it can be used alongside professional treatment to help support the process. Additional information about the Concussion Coach app, as well as handouts for both patients and providers, can be found on the VA’s site here.
The app was produced in collaboration by the Department of Veterans Affairs, the National Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and the National Center for Telehealth and Technology. It is currently available for iOS/Apple devices and will be out for Android by the end of the year.
For more information on other apps that providers may find useful, please visit the “Apps” section of CDP’s website here or check out Dr. Jenna Ermold’s “Got Apps?”. Feel free to share any useful apps you’ve found in the comments below or send us an email and we’ll try to feature them on the blog!
Chris Adams is the Center for Deployment Psychology’s Project Manager for Online Services