FORT RUCKER, Ala. -- Over the coming months, several renovations will be made to the Lyster Army Health Clinic's primary care facilities in order to provide more efficient and quality care to patients of the clinic's four care teams.
These changes will align LAHC with the Department of Defense's standard of care, said Lt. Col. Andrew Powell, deputy commander for Nursing and Patient Support Services at LAHC.
"A patient-centered medical home is what the Department of Defense has mandated to be the standard. It focuses on prevention, wellness, and increasing patient access and education. It really focuses on the reality that patients take care of themselves with (the medical provider's) assistance. We focus on the whole person -- at home, at work and as part of a Family," he said.
Starting next week, a three-phase renovation aims to provide additional examination rooms and more functional space for LAHC staff. Team Courage will be the first unit affected during the renovation when it relocates to an alternate facility located behind the clinic's coffee station.
Included in Team Courage's temporary facility are rooms similar to the ones that will be added to all the primary care units during the six-to-nine-month renovation. These new rooms will be standardized across all units, in order to provide better care for patients.
"We have many different types of exam rooms from after we consolidated into four clinical teams, but we're standardizing the rooms during this process," said Staff Sgt. Eli Aguilar, primary care clinic NCOIC, during a presentation on the renovation.
Aguilar explained that the new examination rooms include new touch screen computers that will allow providers to access multiple applications simultaneously, speeding up the examination process. The rooms are also designed to be more comfortable and organized, with a standard layout for supplies and equipment.
After the Team Courage renovation, teams Respect, Honor and Integrity will also temporarily relocate and undergo similar renovations. For the convenience of patients, front desk clerks for the clinic teams will remain in the same locations, with most construction occurring behind temporary walls built in the clinic. Additionally, the clinics are renovated in phases in order to continue to provide care to patients during the entire process.
"It made more sense to have the moves happen internally. It's convenient for them, because they have some stability. They won't have to worry about moving around -- it provides continuity for the providers and the patients. We're not going to disrupt any patient care during this process." said Staff Sgt. Javier Ramirez, primary care clinic NCOIC.
Another change during the renovations will be made to the front entrance of LAHC, which will be changed into a revolving door in January. During this renovation, which is expected to take three to four weeks, parking and access to the clinic will be modified. Robbie Johnson, who has coordinated the renovation, explained that these changes will not detract from patient care. Lyster staff will be changing signage and providing assistance to patients during the entire renovation process.
"(The renovations are) all part of a big change. Not only do patients get in to see their provider, but things go quicker and smoother. There's more quality time between the patient, nursing staff and the provider," said Powell.
For more information on the renovations, call 255-7229.
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