Authors
1
Psychologist, Prince Sultan Military Medical City, Saudi Arabia
2
Registered Nurse, Armed Forces Hospital, Southern Region, Saudi Arabia
3
Sterilization specialist, Armed Forces Hospital in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
4
Medical Laboratory Specialist, King Abdulaziz Airbase Hospital – Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
5
Medical laboratory specialist, King Abdulaziz Airbase Hospital, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
6
Optometry, Prince Sultan Armed Forces Hospital, Madina (PSAFHM), Saudi Arabia
7
Dental Laboratory Technician, Northern Armed Forces Hospital, Saudi Arabia
8
Nursing Technician, Prince Sultan Air Base Hospital, Al-Kharj, Ministry of Defense, Saudi Arabia
9
Physiotherapy, Armed Forces King Fahad Military Hospital, Ministry of Defense, Saudi Arabia
10
Paramedic, Armed Forces Health, Saudi Arabia
11
Social worker, Prince Sultan Military Medical City in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Abstract
Background: The contemporary military setting provides a unique patient population with complex, comorbid chronic pain and traumatic brain injury (TBI). These are recalcitrant to single-specialty, biomedical models, which are prone to polypharmacy, fragmented care, and poor outcomes, necessitating a paradigm shift. Aim: This scoping review explores the operationalization of the Biopsychosocial Model (BPSM) by Interprofessional Care (IPC) in military and veterans with chronic pain and/or TBI. It takes into consideration the multifaceted roles of the various disciplines and the facilitative role of defense and veteran policies. Methods: A literature scoping review conducted from 2015 to 2025 mapped the current evidence and conceptual frameworks for integrated care models in this population. Results: Effective IPC, implementing the BPSM, requires a central triumvirate—Physiotherapy, Psychology, and Nursing—with important ancillary specialties like Dentistry (orofacial pain), Optometry (vision therapy post-TBI), and Laboratory Medicine (monitoring biomarkers). Effective implementation depends significantly on the policy and funding endorsement of bodies like the Ministry of Defense and Veterans Affairs to overcome systemic barriers.
Conclusion: The reconciliation of the BPSM and IPC is not an enhancement but an imperative for restoring function and quality of life for service members and veterans. It is the standard of care for the management of these complex, chronic diseases.
Keywords
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