Healthcare changes expected later this month

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  • By Jacob McGuire, Staff Writer

There will be some changes to the TRICARE health system at the end of May.

The changes, which include modifications to the new pharmacy queuing system, enrollment options for dependents, capturing money through other health care insurance collections, and recruitment for patient focus groups, were announced last week during a town hall at the Tinker Event Center.

Col. Jennifer Trinkle, 72nd Medical Group commander, said it’s all part of a reform process the U.S. Air Force Medical System is going through over the next year.

“These are going to be positive changes,” said Trinkle.

Trinkle explained to the more than 50 attendees that part of this reform will be a standardization of medical services.

“The Operational Medical Readiness Squadron will be completely dedicated to providing primary care for active duty personnel,” she said. “This is going to be really good for our active duty service members.”

Trinkle says the newly modified Healthcare Operations Squadron will handle care for all other non-active duty personnel.

She says she hopes these changes will combat the issue the 72nd MDG is experiencing in its Family Health Clinics of exceeding capacity.

“This is a dangerous place for us to be,” Trinkle said.

Capt. John Mitchell, TRICARE Operations Flight commander, said also as a part of the reform, there will be changes regarding enrollment for new active duty family members to the 72nd MDG.

“Beginning May 30, there will be a discontinuation in enrollment for new active duty family members excluding pediatric patients,” Mitchell said. “However, this will not affect current active duty family members.”

Mitchell said active duty families can now enroll to be assigned a network Primary Care Manager.

“We all want you to be sold on this,” he said. “You won’t have to worry about your doctor experiencing a permanent change of station or going on a deployment. You will be able to find a doctor who’s closer to where you live. There are plenty of great doctors out there that will be able to help you.”

Mitchell says the offer is available through the summer PCS cycle. New retirees will no longer be able to keep a military-assigned PCM. To apply, fill out our PCM Change Request form at airforcemedicine.af.mil/MTF/Tinker or stop by Patient Administration.

Master Sgt. Adam E. Garrett, chief of Diagnostic Therapeutics Flight in the 72nd Medical Support Squadron, wanted to make patients aware that they can utilize a new secure messaging platform to fill prescriptions or inquire with any questions that they might have.

“We’ve been getting a lot of positive feedback on the secure messaging system,” he said. 

The 72nd’s pharmacy is the 17th largest pharmacy in the Air Force, by volume, according to Garrett.

With 63,000 patients in the Tinker AFB catchment area, Garrett says between 650 and 700 people are serviced daily, and about 1,250 to 1,500 prescriptions are filled daily, which is roughly 150 an hour. Walgreens and CVS fill about 300 prescriptions per day, or roughly 25 an hour, he said.