Army Studies Virtual Iraq – ICT’s Virtual Reality System for Treating PTSD

An article on NextGov.com, a website that covers goverment uses of technology, featured the Army’s use and study of Virtual Iraq, ICT’s virtual reality based therapy for treating PTSD. The story states that, faced with a PTSD rate as high as 35 percent among veterans of the Iraq war, the Army has instigated a four-year study at the Madigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma to track the results of using virtual reality to treat the disorder. The PTSD project is managed by the Center for Telehealth and its parent unit, the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury. According to Dr. Greg Reger, an Army psychologist with the Defense Department’s National Center for Telehealth and Technology, the study marks the first time virtual reality has been tested with active duty soldiers to find out how the treatment compares with traditional talk therapy. Another story covered the use of telemedicine and websites to address diagnosing and supporting soldiers and their families.
Read the story.