10 U.S.C. § 1074f: Medical tracking system for members deployed overseas

The Secretary of Defense shall establish a system to assess the medical condition of members of the armed forces (including members of the reserve components) who are deployed outside the United States or its territories or possessions as part of a contingency operation (including a humanitarian operation, peacekeeping operation, or similar operation) or combat operation. accurately record the health status of members before their deployment; accurately record any changes in their health status during the course of their deployment; identify health concerns, including mental health concerns, that may become manifest several months following their deployment; and accurately record any exposure to occupational and environmental health risks during the course of their deployment. The postdeployment medical examination shall be conducted when the member is redeployed or otherwise leaves an area in which the system is in operation (or as soon as possible thereafter). The postdeployment health reassessment shall be conducted at an appropriate time during the period beginning 90 days after the member is redeployed and ending 180 days after the member is redeployed. An assessment of the current treatment of the member and any use of psychotropic medications by the member for a mental health condition or disorder. An assessment of traumatic brain injury. An assessment of post-traumatic stress disorder. based or stationed at a location where an open burn pit, as defined in subsection (c) of section 201 of the Dignified Burial and Other Veterans’ Benefits Improvement Act of 2012 ( Public Law 112–260 ; 38 U.S.C. 527 note), was used; or exposed to toxic airborne chemicals or other airborne contaminants, including any information recorded as part of the registry established by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs under such section 201. The Secretary shall establish for purposes of subparagraphs (B) and (C) of paragraph (2) a protocol for the predeployment assessment and documentation of the cognitive (including memory) functioning of a member who is deployed outside the United States in order to facilitate the assessment of the postdeployment cognitive (including memory) functioning of the member. The protocol under subparagraph (A) shall include appropriate mechanisms to permit the differential diagnosis of traumatic brain injury in members returning from deployment in a combat zone. The results of all medical examinations and reassessments conducted under the system, records of all health care services (including immunizations and the prescription and administration of psychotropic medications) received by members described in subsection (a) in anticipation of their deployment or during the course of their deployment, and records of events occurring in the deployment area (including the results of any assessment performed by the Secretary of occupational and environmental health risks for such area) that may affect the health of such members shall be retained and maintained in a centralized location to improve future access to the records. The Secretary of Defense shall establish a quality assurance program to evaluate the success of the system in ensuring that members described in subsection (a) receive predeployment medical examinations, postdeployment medical examinations, and postdeployment health reassessments and that the recordkeeping requirements with respect to the system are met. The types of healthcare providers conducting postdeployment health assessments and reassessments. The training received by such providers applicable to the conduct of such assessments and reassessments, including training on assessments and referrals relating to mental health. The guidance available to such providers on how to apply the clinical practice guidelines developed under subsection (e)(1) in determining whether to make a referral for further evaluation of a member of the armed forces relating to mental health. The effectiveness of the tracking mechanisms required under this section in ensuring that members who receive referrals for further evaluations relating to mental health receive such evaluations and obtain such care and services as are warranted. to have a mental health condition or disorder; or to be receiving treatment, including psychotropic medications, for a mental health condition or disorder. The diagnosis and treatment of traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder. development of clinical practice guidelines to be utilized by healthcare providers in determining whether to refer a member of the armed forces for further evaluation relating to mental health (including traumatic brain injury); mechanisms to ensure that healthcare providers are trained in the application of such clinical practice guidelines; and mechanisms for oversight to ensure that healthcare providers apply such guidelines consistently. The Secretary of Defense shall prescribe in regulations minimum standards for mental health for the eligibility of a member of the armed forces for deployment to a combat operation or contingency operation. A specification of the mental health conditions, treatment for such conditions, and receipt of psychotropic medications for such conditions that preclude deployment of a member of the armed forces to a combat operation or contingency operation, or to a specified type of such operation. Guidelines for the deployability and treatment of members of the armed forces diagnosed with a severe mental illness, traumatic brain injury, or post traumatic stress disorder. The Secretary shall take appropriate actions to ensure the utilization of the standards prescribed under paragraph (1) in the making of determinations regarding the deployability of members of the armed forces to a combat operation or contingency operation. The Secretary of Defense shall standardize and make available to a provider that conducts a postdeployment medical examination or reassessment under the system described in subsection (a) questions relating to occupational and environmental health exposure. The Secretary, to the extent practicable, shall ensure that the medical record of a member includes information on the external cause relating to a diagnosis of the member, including by associating an external cause code (as issued under the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th Revision (or any successor revision)). The Secretary of Defense shall include in postdeployment health reassessments conducted under section 1074f of title 10 , United States Code, pursuant to a Department of Defense Form 2796, or successor form, an explicit question regarding exposure of members of the Armed Forces to open burn pits. The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that the Secretary of each military department includes a question regarding exposure of members of the Armed Forces to open burn pits in any electronic postdeployment health assessment conducted by that military department. In this section, the term ‘open burn pit’ has the meaning given that term in section 201(c) of the Dignified Burial and Other Veterans’ Benefits Improvement Act of 2012 ( Public Law 112–260 ; 38 U.S.C. 527 note).” based or stationed at a location where an open burn pit was used; or exposed to toxic airborne chemicals or other airborne contaminants, including any information recorded as part of the Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry. The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall jointly enter into a memorandum of understanding providing for the sharing by the Department of Defense with the Department of Veterans Affairs of the results of covered evaluations regarding the exposure by a member of the Armed Forces to toxic airborne chemicals or other airborne contaminants. If a covered evaluation of a member of the Armed Forces establishes that the member was based or stationed at a location where an open burn pit was used or that the member was exposed to toxic airborne chemicals or other airborne contaminants, the member shall be enrolled in the Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry unless the member elects to not so enroll. Nothing in this section may be construed to preclude eligibility for benefits under the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs by reason of the open burn pit exposure history of a veteran not being recorded in a covered evaluation. The term ‘Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry’ means the registry established by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs under section 201 of the Dignified Burial and Other Veterans’ Benefits Improvement Act of 2012 ( Public Law 112–260 ; 38 U.S.C. 527 note). a periodic health assessment conducted in accordance with subsection (a); a separation history and physical examination conducted under section 1145(a)(5) of title 10 , United States Code, as amended by this section; and a deployment assessment conducted under section 1074f(b)(2) of such title, as amended by this section. The term ‘open burn pit’ has the meaning given that term in section 201(c) of the Dignified Burial and Other Veterans’ Benefits Improvement Act of 2012 ( Public Law 112–260 ; 38 U.S.C. 527 note).” The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall jointly enter into a memorandum of understanding providing for the sharing by the Department of Defense with the Department of Veterans Affairs of the results of examinations and other records on members of the Armed Forces that are retained and maintained with respect to the medical tracking system for members deployed overseas under section 1074f(c) of title 10 , United States Code. The sharing required pursuant to subsection (a) shall cease on the date on which the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs jointly certify to Congress that the Secretaries have fully implemented an integrated electronic health record for members of the Armed Forces that is fully interoperable between the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs.” Not later than January 31, 2011 , the Secretary of Defense shall develop and implement a comprehensive policy on consistent neurological cognitive assessments of members of the Armed Forces before and after deployment. The Secretary shall revise the policy required by subsection (a) on a periodic basis in accordance with experience and evolving best practice guidelines.” Not later than October 1, 2010 , the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees [Committees on Armed Services and Appropriations of the Senate and the House of Representatives] a report on the implementation of policy guidance dated November 7, 2006 , regarding deployment-limiting psychiatric conditions and medications. The circumstances or diagnosed conditions for which such medications may be administered or prescribed. The medical personnel who may administer or prescribe such medications. The method in which the administration or prescription of such medications will be documented in the medical records of members of the Armed Forces. The exam, treatment, or other care that is required following the administration or prescription of such medications.” the blood samples necessary for the predeployment medical examination of a member of the Armed Forces required under section 1074f(b) of title 10 , United States Code, be drawn not earlier than 120 days before the date of the deployment; and the blood samples necessary for the postdeployment medical examination of a member of the Armed Forces required under such section 1074f(b) of such title be drawn not later than 30 days after the date on which the deployment ends. The standards under paragraph (1) shall apply unless the Joint Medical Readiness Oversight Committee established by section 731(b) [ 10 U.S.C. 1074 note] recommends, and the Secretary approves, different standards for blood sampling.”