Base conducted Medical Clinic Facebook Town Hall

  • Published
  • By 19th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE, Ark. --  Col. Patrick Rhatigan, 19th Airlift Wing and installation commander, hosted Little Rock Air Force Base's medical clinic Facebook town hall Sept 23 from 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Team Little Rock community members virtually attended the event, addressing issues on the topic of the medical care and clinic on base. Questions ranged from appointment wait times to the MiCare program, referrals, and more. The base commander was joined by experts and team members from the 19th Medical Group in order to address the community's concerns.

The commander opened the event with some remarks regarding recent activities on the installation and the format of the town hall.

"Taking care of our Airmen and families is one of the most important pieces of successful mission execution," said Rhatigan. "This means everything from your paycheck arriving on time to maintaining your medical readiness. During tonight's town hall, I'd like to hear from each of you on how our medical clinic can improve how we take care of you - our Airmen and families."

More than a dozen questions were posted, and base leaders answered most, if not all, concerns during the one-hour event. Questions that were not answered were staffed and addressed within three business days. Here are the questions and answers from the event:

Q1: With all of the different departments when someone in/out processes, it seems like there are more places, hours of operation and phone numbers to call get appointments done. Other than the 19th MDG phone number and the online appointment system via the TRICARE website, is there an easier way that would save time, stress and overall improve the process?
A1: Our answer is a little lengthy, but we wanted to ensure we cover all your concerns. Medical readiness is crucial to deployment readiness. FTAC and base newcomers' are two meetings where the 19th MDG briefs information we feel is needed to our customers as they arrive here at Little Rock AFB. We will be going into more detail during the two briefings on MiCare and TRICARE due to your concerns. We will also be creating an information pamphlet to hand out on these two programs during these briefings. If you would like additional information on either program, please call the Referral Management Center at (501) 987-1285.

Regarding the dental portion, you will only go "red" on the first day of the 13th month from your last dental exam or if you were placed in Dental Class 3 (non-deployable) status at any dental appointment. You can view your Individual Medical Readiness (IMR) status at: https://asims.afms.mil/imr/MyIMR.aspx. The dental clinic will call to schedule/track all annual exams and non-deployable individuals on a monthly basis. The need for a dental cleaning/simple filling (Dental Class 2) will not affect deployment readiness or cause a member to go RED. These are not tracked for appointments, but we make every attempt to schedule those when the member is present in the clinic. For more information on dental, please feel free to call the dental clinic at (501) 987-7304.

The IMR website mentioned above is also the same site you can track all needed or upcoming immunizations and vaccinations. Aeromedical Services Information Management Systems Readiness System (ASIMS) is the database which provides all Air Force members direct visibility of their IMR requirements. It is incumbent upon the individual Airman to check the Air Force Portal 'My IMR/ASIMS Medical Readiness & Deployment Health' link under 'Featured Links' on the right-hand side of the page. ASIMS generates automated e-mail messages to inform members of any due or overdue items. Each unit also has a Unit Health Monitor, who is responsible for notifying IMR due and overdue individuals of their status, as well as informing the member of their responsibility to remain current on IMR. If an individual has a face-to-face visit with a provider or the PHA clinic, he/she will also be informed of all due or overdue IMR requirements. For more information on IMR please contact the PHA office at (501) 987-2932.

Q2: Would it be possible to streamline the process of picking up a new prescription? I really like the refill prescription process where one can go online and check a few boxes or enter a number over the phone to have the prescription filled and they are given a time/date of when to pick it up. Could this be possible for new prescriptions as well? I know I am not the only person who spends between 1-1.5 hours waiting, activating, waiting and picking up a prescription.
A2: Thank you for your question regarding virtual activation of new prescriptions. While the automated call-in line and TRICARE Online website are very convenient options for requesting prescription refills, unfortunately, these systems do not possess the capability to activate new prescriptions.

We know your time is valuable, and the pharmacy staff does its best to process your prescriptions as expeditiously as possible; however, your safety is our overriding priority. Resolving a potential medication interaction, allergy or overlap is always in our patients' best interest, even though the process is often time consuming. Fortunately, after checking in with the pharmacy, patients do not have to remain in the waiting area! Once your prescription has been processed, it will remain on the shelf for seven days. If you wish to come back later to pick up your prescription, it's a good idea to contact the pharmacy first to ensure the prescription is ready for pick up. Pharmacy staff can be reached from
7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. at (501) 987-7446 (main pharmacy) or (501) 987-2621 (refill pharmacy).

Q3: I am just curious as to how many mountains I have to climb before getting a referral to see a specialist? I have had an ongoing problem for four years, which I have been seen off and on with no full diagnosis. In October 2013 I had enough waiting around and asked for a referral to see a specialist. As of today, I still have no referral to see a specialist. I have been to the same doctor around 4-5 times since October. So, what else do I need to do about getting a referral?
A3: We understand how disconcerting this situation can be for you. We strive to ensure that all our beneficiaries receive the best level of care. In this forum we cannot discuss private health information. Please contact Leslie Kyer, the 19th MDG advocate, at (501) 987-8753 so we can have a more detailed conversation about your medical care. Rest assured, if you are having this problem, others may be as well, and we are committed to removing road blocks to your medical care.

Q4: Can someone please explain to me, why the appointment line tells you to arrive 15 minutes early prior to your appointment time; only to spend an extra 15 minutes past your appointment time in the waiting area, get called back to the Dr. Office and sit there and listen to the technicians and Dr.'s/P.A's converse about absolutely nothing in particular and by this time is almost 35 minutes to an hour since your appointment time? I understand emergencies happen and things come up. But you just sit there and sit there and NOBODY tells you anything!! Everytime I go, it seems to get longer and longer waiting times.
A4: I'm sure it's frustrating to get there early and appear to only have to wait. We greatly value the time of all of our patients. Often, patients are asked to arrive early to complete necessary pre-appointment paperwork, such as critical medical history and current health status. It is sometimes difficult to forecast the time required to thoroughly evaluate each of our patients. Every patient has unique health care needs, and we do all we can to ensure each individual is cared for to the best of our ability within the time period allotted for an appointment. If you feel that you have waited too long, please alert the front desk personnel, who will provide a more accurate time when you will be seen by a health care provider. Often times, appointments run long due to treatment required for each patient - we want you to get a full and complete assessment of your medical needs!

Let me mention MiCare here. MiCare is an online venue where many less urgent medical questions can be addressed, alleviating the necessity for an appointment and occasional associated waiting times. MiCare can be used to address prescription refills, request appointments and ask the questions directly to a primary care provider.

Thank you for asking this question, although we strive to meet appointment times, this is not an uncommon occurrence in the primary care environment.

Q5: When it is necessary to contact the 19th MDG before going to the ER?
A5: I completely understand your hesitation! No one wants to unexpectedly receive a large medical bill. However, we would never want you to risk your health over concern about the bill. You are never required to receive a referral from the medical group when life, limb or eyesight are threatened...you can't get those back! In the event you are experiencing an emergency, proceed to the nearest emergency room. If you feel that your condition is not a true emergency, but it would require more immediate care, please contact the 19th MDG at (501) 987-8811, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in order to have a nurse place a direct referral to an Urgent Care Center. This referral will alleviate any charges. I hope that helps!

Q6: My concern is the process of dropping off paperwork from an off-base provider to the Family Practice Clinic. Several times, I have had to repeatedly bring documents from my off-base provider due to it being lost and never making it to my PCM. Is there anything that can be done to improve this process and track medical documents more efficiently?
A6: We are sorry your documents were lost! Good for you for keeping track of your own medical information - we wish EVERYONE was as vigilant as you! We work closely with downtown specialists to ensure your results are received in a timely manner and scanned into your electronic health record. If we have lost your record then that is on us, and I promise you we will strive to do better with such sensitive information. If this occurs, please notify your health care team, and they will reach out to your off-base provider to obtain your results promptly.

Q7. Am I required to see someone on base when TRICARE kicks in finally, or can I just go back to my original primary care provider who takes it?
A7. I know all of the TRICARE options can be confusing. Here's the simplest answer - if you choose TRICARE Prime and live within a 40-mile radius of the base, you will automatically be enrolled to a 19th MDG PCM team. Family members have the option to enroll in TRICARE Standard and choose a network PCM off base, but this comes with a fee (primarily co-pays). However, this is just a basic overview. Come visit TRICARE Operations in room C119 at the 19th MDG, and they can discuss your options with you, or visit www.tricare.mil to research on your own. I hope this helps!

Q8. When you call the appointment line, why do I have to tell all my business, and when I see my PCM I have to tell them all over again? You also have to sound like it's a life or death situation in order for them to seem like they want to help. The last thing is, most of the time I call the appointment line someone is rude, and you have to be rude back, and that's not what I want to do to get an appointment.
A8. We recognize personal medical information can be sensitive to discuss. Some specific information is needed in order to appropriately direct you to the right medical provider and appropriate medical care. We won't know how to address your situation unless we ask certain questions.

We are sorry you felt the appointment staff was insensitive, and we want you feel respected when you call. Please address concerns regarding appointment line professionalism with Leslie Kyer at (501) 987-8753 including as much detail as possible. This valuable feedback is key to improving our customer service skills.

Q9. How do we get access to MiCare, and what is the turnaround time for receiving responses?
A9. If you are an active-duty member assigned to Little Rock AFB, you will receive an email in October or November with a link to follow that will automatically register them with MiCare. For other patients, such as dependents and retirees, MiCare registration must be done in person at the Military Treatment Facility by visiting the clinic's front desk. In those cases, registration is initiated by filling out a registration card and presenting an official military dependent/retiree ID. Once a patient completes and submits his or her registration card, and it is entered into the system, the patient will receive an email which will prompt him or her to complete the last part of the registration process online.

Although the process to register may have a few steps, the benefits are worth it! Our doctors are really trying to make a push for all of our patients to use MiCare, because it allows them the flexibility to answer your non-urgent but still important medical questions one-on-one when they have available time. It's so much more efficient - I liken it to the choice between making a phone call or using a text to talk to your friends or family - most people text!

Another added benefit includes the answer to your second question: A medical team member will respond to your concerns within 72 hours.

Q10. What are the requirements to obtain LASIK/PRK? I was recently denied, and the only explanation I received is that my eyes changed. When I asked a few civilian optometrists about it, they said they would not see why I could not get it. I look forward to your response. Thank you.
A10. I am sorry you did not receive a thorough explanation why you were denied the procedure. There are many factors for military medical professionals to consider.

Corneal refractive surgery (LASIK/PRK) is certainly a huge medical advancement! In fact, corneal refractive surgery is one of the most commonly requested elective medical procedures. The Air Force Medical Service requires stable vision over a certain period of time prior to surgery. Often military health care standards are more stringent than civilian guidelines because eyesight can be a deployment limiting condition and vital to the Airman's ability to accomplish a given mission.

Additionally, please keep in mind corneal refractive surgery must be approved by the Airman's squadron commander to ensure the Airman will be able to meet mission and deployment requirements.

Q11. Since I have been stationed here, my primary care provider has seemed to change every three to six months. Most of the time without notice. Also, until recently I never even met my PCM. Why is it so difficult to get an appointment with our PCM.  If we cannot meet with our PCM, why do we have one? Why do we see a different provider each time we have an appointment?
A11. We understand where you're coming from. It is sometimes very frustrating, not having the continuity when dealing with medical appointments. Please keep in mind, most of our PCM's are active duty, and deploy or PCS regularly. Duty calls for them as well, and despite our best efforts to keep our talent here, our providers are just like every other Airman and have to go where the Air Force demands!

On a related note, keep your personal information current in DEERS. At the time of a PCM change, you will get a notification by mail. Remember you can always call the appointment line to confirm who your PCM is. The number for the appointment line is (501) 987-8811.

Q12. When I first arrived to Little Rock, I was told that we don't provide braces for Airmen here. I was wondering if there was any chance for bringing this benefit back to this base.
A12. The Department of Defense has always defined orthodontics (braces) as an elective procedure, meaning it's not a medical necessity, because it can affect deployment readiness. It is not a benefit, and it's only approved as an exception at some overseas and training bases. Remember to check with your commander before any elective procedure that you decide to pursue and pay out of your own pocket!