Patient Administration - Army Publishing Directorate - U.S. Army

(3) Patients who are being or have been processed through the physical disability system and who do not require
active inpatient medical supervision will be processed as indicated in (a) through (c) below. Assigned duties will be
restricted to the degree required by profile. The narrative summary (SF 502) of such patients processed on an
outpatient basis should show in detail the level of duties that the patient is able to perform.
(a) Assigned patients will be placed on duty with a nearby unit or with the MTF WTU as set forth in paragraph 8-6.
(b) Patients being processed on an outpatient basis will remain on duty with the assigned organization.
(c) Patients will be processed as directed by HQDA.
(4) If eligible, those patients who are being or have been processed through the physical disability system and
require continued active medical supervision will be transferred to a VA treatment facility as soon as possible to await
final processing. (See para 5-18.)
(5) Patients who are being or have been processed through the physical disability system and who require continued
active medical supervision, but are not eligible for transfer to a VA treatment facility will be processed as soon as
possible. (See para 5-18c.) Separation will take place within 72 hours of receipt of instructions from the U.S. Army
Physical Disability Agency (TAPD-PDB) and will not be delayed for completion of disposition arrangements.
c. Procedures for retention of patients whose period of AD will expire while needing medical or dental care are
contained in AR 135-200, AR 600-8-24, and AR 635-200.
5–18. Military patients requiring continued hospitalization or nursing home care after separation
When it is determined that a patient will not be able to continue active service, the MTF commander will begin action
as follows:
a. Transfer to a VA treatment facility. Except for those with a dishonorable discharge, a request will be sent to
GPMRC, Scott AFB, IL 62225-5300, requesting a bed designation in a VA treatment facility. When it is anticipated
that a patient’s hospitalization will be completed before the effective date of retirement or separation, the patient will
not be processed for transfer to a VA treatment facility.
(1) A member being transferred from an Army MTF to a VA treatment facility for further hospitalization or nursing
home care following PEB action will be ordered on PCS to such MTF as provided in (3), below. AD patients
transferred on PCS to a VA treatment facility will be assigned to the WTU of the MEDDAC in whose geographic area
of responsibility (GAR) the VA treatment facility is located. Appropriate notifications will be completed according to
this regulation. A patient transferred on PCS to a VA treatment facility will not be charged leave during the period of
such care. The patient will be entitled to transfer of Family members and shipment of household goods under
provisions of the JFTR. Direct communication between Army MTF commanders and officials of the VA treatment
facility is authorized in accomplishing patient transfers to VA treatment facilities.
(2) All requests for bed designations will be made at the earliest date which will allow completion of processing
prior to the bed availability date. This date is usually within 2 weeks from the request. On receipt of a VA bed
designation, the MTF commander will promptly send a copy to the PEB which is processing the member’s case. If any
condition should arise that will prevent completion of the patient’s processing or transfer within the dates specified,
immediate action will be taken to cancel or extend the VA bed designation through GPMRC.
(3) Before transfer of a patient to a VA treatment facility—
(a) Counseling will be accomplished according to AR 635-40. For mentally incompetent patients, the individuals
acting in their behalf will be counseled.
(b) Appropriate separation certificates will be prepared according to AR 635-5 and AR 635-10.
(c) DD Form 214 will be prepared for all personnel according to AR 635-5. If it is impracticable to secure the
member’s signature in item 34, the item will be left blank. No notation of any kind will be placed on the copy of DD
Form 214 or any other separation document presented to the member to indicate that he or she is mentally or otherwise
incompetent to sign.
(d) Before moving a patient to a VA treatment facility, coordination will be made with GPMRC for a bed
designation.
(4) The patient will be transferred to the designated hospital or nursing home upon receipt of the notification from
GPMRC of a bed assignment in a VA treatment facility.
(a) Except for mentally incompetent patients, the transfer to a VA treatment facility will be accomplished at the
earliest practicable date after the announcement of PEB findings that the patient will be permanently retired, placed on
the TDRL, or discharged. To ensure timely processing, counseling for these patients will be completed as prescribed in
paragraph 7-22. MEB results will be referred to the PEB promptly after transfer of the patient. Mentally incompetent
patients will be transferred after completion of MEB action. See (c) below for special provisions for transferring spinal
cord injury (SCI) patients.
(b) The following patients being evacuated from overseas may be transferred directly from the overseas MTF to a
VA treatment facility in CONUS: severe brain injury patients, as soon as the MEB is completed; alcohol or other drugdependent
patients who meet the criteria outlined in AR 600-85; or those whose normal expiration-term-of-service date
will not permit sufficient time in the local program to determine rehabilitation success or failure and who will have
between 15 and 30 days remaining until discharge after arrival at the VA treatment facility.
AR 40–400 27 January 2010
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