Have You Ever Served In The Military?
One question can make a big difference…
Care For Those Who Serve By:
- Building critical rapport with a reluctant patient who served.
- Understanding the relationship between military experiences and medical symptoms.
- Collaborating effectively with military-veteran healthcare providers.
Why Ask The Question:
Healthcare professionals encounter veterans, service members, and military families, but they don't always know it. Veterans do not always identify themselves. They can be proud and stoic, and tend to be more comfortable helping others than asking for help themselves. They may minimize the effect of military service on their health, which can lead to missed diagnoses and incomplete treatment. The only way to be sure to find out about their military service – and its relationship to their health – is to ASK!
Ask The Question
Providers, when gathering patient history, ask, "Have you or a family member ever served in the military?"
When The Answer Is "YES," you may consider thanking them for their service. You may also then be able to find out more about the service experience that will facilitate appropriate diagnosis, treatment planning, and referrals. Asking further questions will also help you to:
- Build rapport and demonstrate interest and cultural competency
- Link to any needed military and veteran resources and referrals, including both VA and non-VA programs
- Identify any physical, medical and/or mental health issues related to service experience that will need further diagnostic work or treatment, or will impact treatment goals
- Explore areas of functioning in need of support as well as individual and family strengths, supports, and
- Address perceived barriers to seeking support and services
Read a vignette about how providers in the Health Care & Medical Services can make a big difference!
Following are some questions that could be asked in the context of gathering information for more effective referrals and services. Pay attention to non-verbal cues, and show respect, curiosity, and empathy. Also be aware that responsiveness and effective follow-up are critical to building trust and rapport.
Portable Document Format (.pdf). Visit nh.gov for a list of free .pdf readers for a variety of operating systems.
- Build rapport with the parent and child and demonstrate interest and cultural competency
- Identify family supports and resources as well as needs for support not yet met
- Identify any deployment-related stressors on the child and family as well as any related behavioral, emotional, social, and academic implications for the child
- Explore deployment and reintegration challenges
- Identify any deployment-related stressors on the child and family as well as any related behavioral, emotional, social, and academic implications for the child
- Explore deployment and reintegration challenges
- Link to any needed military and veteran resources and benefits, including both VA and non-VA programs
- Identify family supports and resources as well as needs for support not yet met
- Link to any needed military and veteran resources and benefits, including both VA and non-VA programs
- Identify family supports and resources as well as needs for support not yet met
- Address perceived barriers to the child or parent(s) in seeking support
Provider Resources
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