FORT RUCKER, Ala. -- Over the past few months, many who fill their prescriptions at Lyster Army Health Clinic may have noticed longer lines and limited parking, a reality that Lyster officials hope to decrease by encouraging beneficiaries to utilize the Tricare pharmacy home delivery program.
The Tricare pharmacy home delivery program already fills over 1 million prescriptions a month, and a recent reduction on copays for generic prescriptions gives many beneficiaries an even greater incentive to receive their regular medications by mail, said Lt. Col. Andrew Powell, deputy commander for Nursing and Patient Support Services at LAHC.
"In the past, Tricare beneficiaries had to pay a copay (when they use the program). Now they can get generic prescriptions without a copay," he said.
According to Maj. Tai Bolaji, the pharmacy at LAHC serves an average of 1,700 beneficiaries a week, but upcoming changes involving major pharmacies accepting Tricare prescriptions have caused an influx of outside clients for the pharmacy, with recent months exceeding 2,000 visitors per week.
Bolaji said that this increase in beneficiaries led to the pharmacy adding two additional windows and decreasing call-in pickup length from seven to four days. Both of these measures increased the number of patients served and helped to decrease wait times in the short term, but the mail order pharmacy could be the best long-term solution for decreasing wait times.
"We're getting the individual person through faster; the overall waiting time is still increasing. If people start using the mail order pharmacy, it would reduce the workload we have and let us serve people better. That's really what we want to do," said Powell.
Even with a 40 percent increase in workload, average wait times are still relatively low, said Powell, with active duty prescriptions around 11 minutes, outside walk-in prescriptions averaging 30 minutes and in-clinic prescriptions being filled in about 20 minutes.
"It's admirable that even with an increase in workload, the wait times are still OK," Powell said, adding that these times are sometimes necessary to provide quality care. "Our absolute most important goal is providing safe care. We won't sacrifice speed for safety."
Powell explained that ideal candidates for the pharmacy home delivery program include those with several regular maintenance medications for conditions such as hypertension and diabetes who already fill their 90-day generic prescriptions at the Lyster Pharmacy. Those who need a one-time prescription for antibiotics or cold and flu treatments and those receiving first-time prescriptions will likely need to continue using the walk-in pharmacy services.
Information on the mail order pharmacy can be obtained through Tricare online at www.tricare.com/pharmacy. Brochures and additional information can also be found at the Tricare service center and at the LAHC Pharmacy.
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