Public Health
Spotlight on the Work of an Environmental Health Coordinator and Clinician
At the Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center (VAMC) in Augusta, GA, Mr. William Kingsberry and Dr. Shoba Battu work together to make sure that Veterans receive environmental health registry exams, including the Gulf War Registry exam and the Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry (AHOBPR) exam.
The Gulf War Registry is for Veterans who served in the Gulf during Operation Desert Shield, Operation Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom, or Operation New Dawn, and involves just an exam. The AHOBPR is for Veterans and active-duty service members who served in one of the same conflicts above, or Operation Enduring Freedom or Djibouti, Africa. The AHOBPR involves an online questionnaire and optional follow up exam. Veterans may be eligible for both of these registries or for others within VA’s environmental health registry program, depending on their military service.
Mr. Kingsberry has been an Environmental Health Coordinator for 16 years and has worked at VA for 30 years. He is also is a Veteran, having served in the U.S. Army from June 1977 to August 1984 (medically retired). Dr. Shoba Battu is an Environmental Health Clinician and has worked at VA for 34 years. Her first five years were as an employee health/registries physician, and then she worked as a primary care provider. Dr. Battu retired in 2015 and came back in January 2016 to work on AHOBPR exams and primary care, part-time.
VA’s Post Deployment Health Services asked Mr. Kingsberry and Dr. Battu questions about their roles as Environmental Health Coordinator and Clinician, focusing on their work with the Gulf War Registry and AHOBPR.
What is the process for a Veteran to set up a Gulf War Registry exam or an AHOBPR exam at your VA Medical Center?
Kingsberry: For either exam, the Veteran calls or comes to the Agent Orange & Persian Gulf office to schedule an appointment. Also, other hospital staff members at the Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center notify my office when a Veteran is requesting information or an appointment for the exam.
How often do you conduct Gulf War Registry and AHOBPR exams?
Kingsberry: We schedule Gulf War Registry exams on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays, and see four Veterans each morning. AHOBPR exams are scheduled two Mondays a month, with 11 Veterans seen on each of those days.
About how long are the exams?
Battu: Gulf War Registry exams could take 30 to 45 minutes, and AHOBPR exams could take 30 minutes.
What can a Veteran expect to happen during a Gulf War Registry exam or AHOBPR exam?
Battu: For both exams, we explain the purpose of the registry exam and answer any questions the Veteran may have about the exam. We also conduct a brief physical exam. For the Gulf War Registry exam, tests may be ordered based on medical history and other issues the Veteran may have, and the tests could include lab work and x-rays. For the AHOBPR exam, tests may be ordered based on medical history, and we conduct the usual tests, such as a chest x-ray and Pulmonary Function Test.
What are some common questions or points of confusion that you hear from Veterans as a coordinator? What do you think Veterans should know about the Gulf War and AHOBPR exams?
Kingsberry: Veterans ask, “Is this a C&P exam? Can I file a disability claim just with the notes of the registry exam?” They may confuse the Gulf War Registry and the AHOBPR if they are not given the right information, and they may think the registries are for a compensation and pension (C&P) exam, which is totally different.
I explain the difference between the registries and between the registry and C&P exams. A registry exam might be helpful for a disability claim, but it does not take the place of a C&P exam, and Veterans must have a C&P exam as a part of the claims process.
What do you like most about helping Veterans set up an exam?
Kingsberry: I like explaining the exam to them, so they understand the process. I also like leading them on the right track for better health services and for filing a claim if they have any disabilities.
What do you like most about conducting registry exams?
Battu: I like that it can help all Veterans identify specific diseases related to Gulf War service and burn pit fume exposures.
Environmental Health Coordinators like Mr. Kingsberry are available across the country to help you schedule an exam and to help you answer questions about registries. Clinicians like Dr. Battu will perform your environmental health registry exam. Find a coordinator near you to schedule an exam.
