New national guidelines boost care for traumatic brain injury patients
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) affects millions of Americans annually, often leading to long-term health complications. Recent national recommendations are revolutionizing short- and long-term care for TBI patients, offering more effective strategies than ever before.
Dr. Monica Verduzco-Gutierrez, a physiatrist at UT Health San Antonio and professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio's Long School of Medicine, played a pivotal role in developing these guidelines. She was part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine working group that crafted the updated guidelines for diagnosing, monitoring, and rehabilitating individuals with TBI.
This comprehensive update, the most significant in over a decade, introduces novel approaches for patient follow-up care beyond the initial acute phase, particularly for those who didn't require hospitalization.
Dr. Verduzco-Gutierrez emphasizes, "Even seemingly mild TBIs can lead to long-term symptoms and disabilities. Traditional classifications like 'mild' often fail to capture the complexity of these injuries."
The updated guidelines were published in September in the Annals of Family Medicine and the Journal of Neurotrauma. They address the critical issue of variability and gaps in follow-up care, as less than half of patients receive any form of follow-up.
The Clinical Practice Guideline Working Group reviewed the latest evidence on brain injury care to establish standards applicable to hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and outpatient clinics nationwide. The new guidelines emphasize structured follow-up, early rehabilitation referrals, and attention to cognitive, mood, and functional changes post-TBI.
One of the most significant updates, according to Dr. Verduzco-Gutierrez, is the call for health professionals to screen all TBI patients for health-related social needs, such as food, housing, transportation, and financial insecurity. These factors can significantly impact a patient's ability to attend follow-up visits, access medications, or continue rehabilitation.
"Without addressing these barriers, even the best medical plan can fall short," she warns.
These guidelines are designed to enhance TBI outpatient care for individuals of all severity levels and causes, whether hospitalization was required or not. They also include specific considerations for older adults, athletes, military personnel, and survivors of intimate partner violence.
Dr. Verduzco-Gutierrez concludes, "These new guidelines offer practical, evidence-based strategies that empower primary care providers to deliver more consistent, equitable, and effective care. This will ultimately improve outcomes for millions of individuals living with TBI."
For more information, refer to the journal article: Silverberg, N. D., et al. (2025). Action Collaborative on Traumatic Brain Injury Care: Adapted Clinical Practice Guideline. Journal of Neurotrauma. Doi: 10.1177/08977151251378894. https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1177/08977151251378894.
