The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) have released clinical practice guidelines for the management of upper-limb amputation rehabilitation, which are based on a systematic review of both clinical and epidemiological evidence. Developed by a panel of multidisciplinary experts, the guidelines provide an explanation of the relationships between various care options and health outcomes while rating both the quality of the evidence and the strength of the recommendations, and lists key domains of care: postoperative pain, physical health, function, psychological support and well-being, patient satisfaction, community integration, and healthcare utilization.
The VA and DoD stressed that these guidelines are not intended to represent the DoD’s TRICARE military health system policy. Nor does inclusion of recommendations for specific testing and/or therapeutic interventions within these guidelines guarantee coverage of civilian sector care.
For more information, and to read the guidelines, visit the VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guidelines webpage.
