Many patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) may not be receiving follow-up care, according to findings from Transforming Research and Clinical Knowledge in Traumatic Brain Injury (TRACK-TBI), a long-term NIH-funded study.
Of 831 patients who completed questionnaires 2 weeks and 3 months after sustaining TBI, 44% reported seeing a health care provider within 3 months. Of those, 15% visited a clinic that specialized in head injury. Approximately half saw a general practitioner; close to a third reported seeing ≥ 1 type of doctor.
Among the 279 patients with ≥ 3 symptoms of moderate to severe postconcussion, 41% had not had a follow-up visit at 3 months. Moreover, half of the patients were discharged without TBI educational materials.
Rates and components of follow-up care varied widely from institution to institution even among patients with the same initial degree of injury.