Medical appointments available through many options

The DeWitt Health Care Network Central Appointment Center now provides expanded appointment services and options, improving access to care while TRICARE Online continues to serve as an alternative for scheduling appointments.
The 40 percent increase in staffing has decreased patient hold time from more than 20 minutes to less than one minute. The 24-hour, seven-day-a-week availability for scheduling appointments through TOL at the hospital and its satellite clinics provide convenience and better customer service to beneficiaries.
Yolanda Bernard-Wilson, supervisor, DeWitt Central Appointment Center, has seen the abandoned call rate also decrease from 25 percent to less than 2 percent, and patient contact time from more than five minutes to less than four minutes.
"Access to care for our patients has greatly improved," said Bernard-Wilson. "By daily tracking when, during the day, appointments are booked, we are able to see a pattern. This, and the fact we have an adequate number of providers and support staff, allows us to provide availability for scheduling appointments later into the day."
The center further transitioned from a primary care appointment center to a centralized appointing center by adding appointment services for specialty and radiology appointments.
According to Lt. Col. Gina Kim-Ahn, chief, radiology, the change to the call center began in October and makes scheduling appointments easier.
"When patients call the appointment line, they now have the ability to make doctor appointments as well as schedule a radiology study," said Kim-Ahn. "It is a great one-step process."
The call center provides more clerks to handle phone calls, and the extended hours of operation, including Saturdays, allows patients more opportunity to schedule appointments.
"From a patient standpoint, nothing has changed except the phone number, said Kim-Ahn.
"The new process has proven to be a success story. The number of complaints is down because patients are able to get through and schedule appointments more easily," Kim-Ahn said. "The call center does everything we used to do to include providing referrals if appointments at DeWitt are not available."
In addition, in October, the appointment center implemented a National Capital Area capability system. The one-call system allows patients to schedule appointments throughout the NCA, improving customer service.
Lt. Col. Peter Lehning, chief, managed care division, stated another option for scheduling appointments is TRICARE Online. More than 80 percent of all primary care appointments within all four clinics of the DeWitt Health Care Network (DeWitt, Woodbridge, Fairfax and Rader) can be booked using TOL, Lehning said.
According to Lehning, appointment openings, viewed and booked via the internet connection 24 hours a day, seven days a week, allow patients to choose appointments for themselves and family members. Patients can book optometry appointments online, schedule pap smears, well baby, acute/urgent (24 hours), routine/non-urgent (7 days) and wellness/follow-up (28 days) appointments with TOL.
"Every beneficiary needs an account, but a family can share a password," said Lehning. "My family members have their own user names, but we share the same password. We log in for whoever needs the appointment, and the shared password makes it easier."
Lehning explained that being able to look online for appointments at any hour of the day lets patients book even when the appointment center is closed.
"Because we release all the next-day acute appointments by 6 p.m. the night prior, it saves our patients from waiting and calling in at 6 a.m. when phone line traffic is at its highest level," Lehning said.
If a provider does not have a convenient appointment, patients will be able to see that on screen. They can then book with any provider within the clinic who has available appointments.
"In addition to the convenience of booking online, patients using TOL are seeing their primary care manager 55 percent of the time, versus those calling in who only see their PCM 35 percent of the time," Lehning said.
Lehning is responsible for beneficiary enrollment eligibility and patient assignment to a specific clinic. He informs patients living greater than 40 minutes (roughly 30 miles) from one of the four clinics that they can choose a civilian TRICARE provider and get their care closer to home. By calling TRICARE at 1-877-874-2273, they can request a change.
According to Bernard-Wilson, expanded appointment services and options, and the availability of TRICARE Online appointment services are ways the DHCN addresses patient's biggest concern, improving access to care.
Hours of operation for scheduling appointments at the DeWitt Family Health Center through the Central Appointment Center are available by calling 703 805-0612, Mondays to Fridays, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturdays, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Appointments at Fairfax Family Health Center are available by calling 703 846-9503, Mondays to Fridays (except holidays) 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturdays, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Woodbridge Family Health Center appointments are available by calling 703 550-2671, Mondays to Fridays (except holidays) 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturdays, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Appointments at the Rader Family Health Center are available by calling 703 696-7951, Mondays to Fridays (except holidays) 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Radiology appointments are available Mondays to Fridays, 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Saturdays, 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Patients can make online appointments by visiting www.tricareonline.com.