FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. -- An appointment scheduling system that meets patients' needs to the maximum degree possible, in concert with maximum potential use of hospital resources, was bound to spread like wildfire throughout Army Medicine.
After five months in development, and another five in operation, key leaders from the Army Office of the Surgeon General, Army Medical Command, and General Leonard Wood Army Community Hospital met July 29 to begin planning for Army-wide system implementation.
The Beneficiary Instant Provider Appointment Scheduling System (BIPASS) allows Emergency Room visitors to be seen by any provider in the facility with an open appointment, bypassing a long wait in the Emergency Room waiting room.
As patients enter the GLWACH ER, a large screen monitor mounted outside the ER doorway displays all primary care appointments available in real-time, 24-hours out. New appointments appear instantly onscreen two minutes after patients cancel. At GLWACH, there are about 20 appointment cancellations every day.
"Pick an appointment, pick up the phone" reads a sign on the wall between the display screen and a black phone ready to autodial a TRICARE appointment clerk.
BIPASS is also available online for all TRICARE beneficiaries to use from home--or anywhere using a smart phone: https://www.facebook.com/GLWACH/videos/958057834215062/
News of GLWACH's BIPASS spread quickly through the Army's web-based "Communicate for Effect" (CORE) platform, developed for publication and sharing of traditional newspaper stories and photos, radio spots and video throughout the network of CORE Army journalists. BIPASS was, and continues to be published worldwide through print, audio and video products like this: https://www.facebook.com/GLWACH/videos/958057834215062/
• Read more about BIPASS here: http://www.army.mil/article/148899/
• Watch our BIPASS video here: https://www.facebook.com/GLWACH/videos/958057834215062/
• Follow GLWACH's Facebook page for recent news and information here: httpFacebook.com/GLWACH
Other recent life-saving and life-changing GLWACH initiatives:
• "STEMI-hot load" story: http://www.army.mil/article/153251
• Caring GLWACH staff fulfill a dying patient's last wishes (video story): Facebook.com/GLWACH/videos/897676920253154
• "REST Assured!" story: http://www.army.mil/article/139558/, Video: Facebook.com/GLWACH/videos/840622559291924
• "Serenity room" story: http://www.army.mil/article/147539/
(Editor's note: John Brooks is the marketing and public affairs officer at General Leonard Wood Army Community Hospital)
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