39 MDG begins new after-duty call-in procedures April 1

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Heather Stanton
  • 39th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey --  The 39th Medical Group will begin new after-duty call-in procedures April 1 to save time and improve the quality care of patients. 

Currently, patients call in to, or show up at, Ambulance Services and have an Airman work as an intermediary between them and a doctor. Either way, the patient waits for a doctor to be contacted in order to be provided advice or treatment. 

"Now the patient calls from home and a trained medical provider answers their medical concerns," said Lt. Col. Kelley Moore, 39th Medical Operations Squadron commander. "They can get home-care advice, be transferred to the on-call doctor who can talk to the patient and determine if they should come into the clinic right away, or be given an appointment for the following day." 

The new call-in number is 676-6666 and will be in service 24 hours a day. During duty hours, this will be the new appointment line number. After duty hours, the caller will be transferred directly to the Tricare Nurse Advice Line in Germany. 

"By using the nurse advice line, we raise the level of care provided from an interpretation and intermediary of an Airman to a fully-qualified and experienced professional nurse who is sitting by a computer with access to a host of state-of-the-art healthcare information and direct access to our doctors," said Col. Michael Johnson, 39 MDG commander. 

The Tricare Nurse Advice Line is a common and well-used practice, said Colonel Moore. The nurse is well-trained and qualified to give emergency and clinical advice. The nurses have been working with the Incirlik Tricare office to go through various scenarios that may be unique to Incirlik. 

"Of course, if there is truly an emergency, calling 9-1-1 is always still available," said Colonel Johnson. "Also, Tricare Online is available to book all our appointments online 24 hours a day." 

The Tricare Online Web site is www.tricareonline.com. 

"We needed a better way to serve our population," said Colonel Moore. "This is more convenient for our patients. After they get over the fact that they don't need to come in, but just need to make a phone call, we are hoping this will be a positive experience for them. ... It should be a win/win situation for us all."