MHS Genesis and you

  • Published
  • 92nd Medical Group
FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. --  June marks the four month point for the 92nd Medical Group’s transition to the new electronic health record, MHS GENESIS. We are the first in the DoD to bring on this new cutting edge system as we strive to provide the safest, most efficient health care that we can.

As with any new system, there are changes we can make to improve the system. We provide daily feedback to leadership. We have identified information we would like to pass to you to help make your transition to the new record as smooth as possible.

All patients must register in the new system. If you have not been seen in the clinic since Feb. 7, 2017, you may not be registered. You can register in the patient records section during normal hours. Your provider team will verify all your information on your first visit to include medications to ensure the information pulled from the old system is still accurate.

Mrs. Kobylinski, a family health administrative support assistant, passes along the following: First, you no longer have to show up 15 minutes early to your appointment. The time given is your show time and it includes time for completion of any required paperwork. It is a small thing but we value your time as well.

Additionally, patient demographic information in our system is pulled directly from DEERS so it is very important to keep DEERS up to date. And finally, we have a new Patient Portal that replaced MiCare. MiCare is no longer active for Fairchild. The MHS Genesis Patient Portal (not to be confused with the TRICARE Online Patient Portal) is available to you once you are registered in the medical records system. It is located at https://patientportal.mhsgenesis.health.mil and utilizes a DS logon. If you do not have a DS logon, click on “More DS Logon options” at the bottom left of the page to create an account. The new portal offers much more than MiCare did to include the ability to book appointments online, give it a try! You can even put in a secure message for a prescription renewal via the portal.

Speaking of prescriptions, Major Lusk from the pharmacy has some handy tips as well: First is a reminder on registration. You must register even if you do not see any providers here at the clinic, otherwise you are “not visible” in the system and pharmacy cannot fill your prescription.

Also, we understand the terms refills and renewals can be confusing. When a provider orders a prescription they can authorize a certain number of refills. This allows the patient to fill the prescription and then refill it the authorized number of times. Refills can be requested through the AudioCARE phone system at 509-247-5568.

If a provider does not authorize refills, the refills have been used, and/or the prescription has expired, then a prescription renewal is required. This requires a request to providers to issue a new prescription order. Renewal requests vary based on your provider location. If your provider is an MTF Clinic provider then you can request a prescription renewal by contacting your provider through the appointment line at 509-247-2361 or requesting a renewal through the MHS GENESIS Patient Portal. If your provider is not an MTF Clinic provider then you would need to contact that provider through your normal communication channels for a prescription renewal.

Finally, we would like to save you a trip to the pharmacy if we can. TRICARE Pharmacy Home Delivery is an underutilized resource that can help you out and save you time and money. Many maintenance medications carry a $0 copay for a 90 days' supply and are delivered right to your home. I encourage you to try it. For more information regarding this option, please call 1-877-363-1303 or visit https://www.expressscripts.com/TRICARE/benefits/homedelivery.shtmI.

Our goal is to make the transition to MHS GENESIS as seamless as possible and to help improve the system in every way we can. Your feedback, both positive and not so positive, is helpful in doing that.

Please provide us feedback about your experience here so that we can improve. You can do this via the ICE survey site at http://ice.disa.mil or use the ICE forms available in all sections of the clinic. Each section also has a patient advocate and their information is posted above the ICE survey boxes in every section. Help us build the best medical system possible.