92nd Medical Group manning shortages affect available appointments Published June 5, 2015 By Lt. Col. Dane V. Campbell 92nd Medical Operations Squadron commander FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. -- The 92nd Medical Group will experience a significant nurse and provider manning shortage throughout the summer of 2015. This manning shortage will decrease appointment availability at Fairchild AFB. The manning shortage is due to permanent change of stations, retirements, separations, and turnover of contract staff. By July, the clinic will have 66 percent providers and 40 percent of nurses available in Family Health Clinic, Pediatrics, and Flight Medicine. The 92nd MDG is pursuing resources to correct the shortages and will work hard to achieve acceptable levels of staffing to resume normal operations. Despite the impending difficulties with appointment availability, the 92nd MDG personnel will do everything in their power to ensure safe, timely care is delivered to you, our beneficiaries. If appointments are not available, a referral will be placed for beneficiaries to ensure medical needs are met. Patients are highly encouraged to utilize the Nurse Advice Line (1-800-TRICARE) and MiCare, secure messaging, as additional options to receive advice and support from your healthcare professionals. For information on obtaining a MiCare account, contact Beneficiary Services at (509) 247-5575. For musculoskeletal issues such as back pain, neck pain, or ankle pain without injury or trauma, please consider utilizing the Physical Therapy Direct Access Clinic, Monday to Friday, 8 to 11 a.m. Our Women's Health Clinic offers walk-in services for pregnancy testing and Family Health and Pediatric Clinics offer walk-in services for sore throats. Sick call for active duty members enrolled in Flight Medicine remains available from 7:30 to 8 a.m. Monday to Friday. Patients who require behavioral health/mental health services can call the appointment line at 247-2361 and book directly with the Behavioral Health Optimization provider in Family Health and Active Duty and active duty dependents can call Mental Health directly at 247-2731. Appointment availability during the summer is usually a challenge and this summer is no exception. Your partnership with the 92nd MDG can help during these difficult staffing shortages. The following are a few tips where you can help: If you schedule an appointment make every effort to keep that appointment. If you cannot make it, please cancel appointments as soon as possible so that they may be rebooked. Appointments are booked quickly so if you are offered an appointment, please try to accommodate your schedule so you may attend. Plan ahead. Sports physicals, updates on profiles, medication refills and other regularly needed services can be booked further out ensuring these important services are not missed. Sign up for and use MiCare. This secure messaging tool allows for frequent contact with your provider team and reduces the demand for face-to-face appointments. Medication, lab work and other requests can be communicated using this tool. Like our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/92MDG. We will update our page with information on MDG services and health and wellness information. For planning purposes the 92nd MDG will be closed on the following days over the summer: June 17 - closed at 1 p.m., for training July 2 - AMC Family Day July 3 - Federal Holiday July 15 - closed at 1 p.m., for training Aug. 19 - closed at 1 p.m., for training Aug. 28 - Wingman Day The 92nd MDG remains committed to providing the highest quality safest care anywhere. Working together we can make that happen. We would like to hear from you. If you have comments or concerns, please visit http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/92MDGACCESS.