Hawaii eMSM medical appointment policy

By Ana Allen, PRMCSeptember 11, 2014

Appointment policy finalized for Hawaii Military Treatment Facilities
1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – The Hawaii Enhanced Multi-Service Market (eMSM) formalized Show Time, No-Show and Late Show policies to ensure consistency across Military Treatment Facilities (MTF) within the Hawaii Market in a memorandum signed by Brig. Gen. Dennis Doyle, Senior M... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Hawaii eMSM policy addresses appointment times
2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – The Hawaii Enhanced Multi-Service Market (eMSM) formalized Show Time, No-Show and Late Show policies to ensure consistency across Military Treatment Facilities (MTF) within the Hawaii Market in a memorandum signed by Brig. Gen. Dennis Doyle, Senior M... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

The Hawaii Enhanced Multi-Service Market (eMSM) formalized Show Time, No-Show and Late Show policies to ensure consistency across Military Treatment Facilities (MTF) within the Hawaii Market in a memorandum signed by Brig. Gen. Dennis Doyle, Senior Market Manager for the Hawaii eMSM, dated July 29, 2014.

The policy defines the show time for all medical appointments as the scheduled appointment time.

Dental appointment show times remain service specific.

Patients will be considered no-shows if they are not present for their appointments, leave without being seen or arrive ten minutes or more past the scheduled appointment time.

Patients who are unable to cancel their appointment at least two hours prior to the scheduled appointment are also considered no-shows.

If the appointment is between the hours of 12 a.m. and 9 a.m., patients are required to cancel their appointment prior to the close of business the previous duty day.

If a patient checks in for their appointment more than ten minutes after their scheduled appointment, they are considered a no-show.

At that point, clinics will determine if the patient can still be seen based on staff availability and patient workload or reschedule at the beneficiary's convenience.

"When a patient fails to show for a scheduled appointment, a ripple effect occurs. Not only does that patient miss his or her appointment, but we are unable to offer that appointment to another patient who is seeking care," said Major Clint Cobb, Chief of the Clinical Support Division at Tripler Army Medical Center (TAMC).

Cobb also says there is also a financial benefit to the policy. "When a patient is unable to make an appointment, he or she may head to the emergency department or seek care within the civilian healthcare network. These are more expensive health care options. Adherence to the no-show policy allows for better management of our resources. This policy is an important measure to improve the access to care for all our valued beneficiaries in Hawaii."

Patients wishing to cancel their appointments have several options.

Appointments booked through TRICARE Online (TOL) may also be canceled through the site at www.tricareonline.com, where beneficiaries may also sign-up for emails and text messages with medical appointment reminders.

Medical appointments may also be canceled during business hours by calling the central appointment office at their respective MTF (Air Force: 448-6000, Army: 433-2778, Navy: 473-0247).

Patients needing to cancel a behavioral health, mental health or substance abuse appointments will need to call to cancel.

Visit www.tamc.amedd.army.mil for the full policy.