Below are the first 10 and last 10 pages of uncorrected machine-read text (when available) of this chapter, followed by the top 30 algorithmically extracted key phrases from the chapter as a whole.
Intended to provide our own search engines and external engines with highly rich, chapter-representative searchable text on the opening pages of each chapter.
Because it is UNCORRECTED material, please consider the following text as a useful but insufficient proxy for the authoritative book pages.
Do not use for reproduction, copying, pasting, or reading; exclusively for search engines.
OCR for page 51
6
Conclusion
Change is inevitable, and as such, it is important to plan for that change on
the basis of new information and techniques that have emerged from past
experiences and scientific investigation. The committee believes that the
changes recommended in this report build on the strengths and lessons learned
through research, the implementation of the Registry and the UCAP, and
advances made in the field of clinical practice evaluation. It is with the intent to
assist VA with better serving Persian Gulf veterans that these recommendations
are offered.
The committee believes that the recommendations to adopt the described
diagnostic pathway, to eliminate the distinction between Phase I and Phase II, to
add to the collection of exposure information, and to develop appropriate
clinical practice guidelines and pathways with feedback mechanisms on their
usefulness will facilitate better and more timely provision of diagnostic services
to Persian Gulf veterans. The concomitant changes in data collection and
reporting and the collection of information on patient satisfaction will elicit
information that can be used to assist in focusing efforts aimed at continuously
improving the system. It is important to note that the system remains a
diagnostic program, not a research study, and it is therefore not reasonable to
expect the Registry and UCAP to identify a new syndrome or syndromes. The
current excellent approaches to outreach and provider education will be
supplemented by the committees' recommendations for the exploration of
additional avenues and the involvement of additional practitioners.
Although it will take thoughtful effort and time to plan for and implement
these recommendations, the committee urges VA to make the implementation of
these recommendations a priority.
51
OCR for page 52
Representative terms from entire chapter:
gulf veterans
