FORT SILL, Okla. (Nov. 12, 2015) -- Regardless of what illness you may have, or what department you are visiting at Reynolds Army Community Hospital (RACH), the one thing all patients have in common is sooner or later they will have to go by one of the pharmacy windows.
One of the busiest sections of the hospital, the pharmacy has had its share of ups and downs.
Lt. Col. Shawn Parsons, chief of the pharmacy department, acknowledged that, "The first thing you may think of when you think of the pharmacy is how long you may have to wait, but I am happy to report that as of the 5th of October the pharmacy is at full strength for the first time since 2013."
Budget cuts and furloughs of the past few years have weighed on all areas of the hospital, but the Reynolds Pharmacy and its staff have particularly felt those effects.
"The number of people we have available to work the windows does effect wait times," said Parsons. "We typically see 550-650 patients and fill around 1,200 prescriptions a day. As we train our new personnel I expect to see our average wait times start dropping."
While the time spent waiting for your number to be called will soon be getting shorter, there are steps every patient can take to ensure they are in and out as soon as possible.
Sgt. 1st Class Claudio Gallegos, pharmacy noncommissioned officer in charge, highlighted those steps.
"The first thing, if possible, is to avoid our busiest times which tend to be 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., when active-duty Soldiers in uniform have priority, and 3-5 p.m."
The second step, according to Gallegos, is not as well known.
"If you are the sponsor for your family, you can pickup prescriptions for your spouse or children as long as you have a copy of their ID card. This includes a picture of it on your cell phone. As long as it is a clear photo we can issue the prescription."
There are, however, restrictions to this rule.
"We ask that you do not bring a color copy or any copy that can be mistaken for an actual ID card, black and white only," said Gallegos, "Also, the pharmacy is authorized to confiscate any expired, disfigured or unauthorized reproductions of ID cards. If this happens, we will give you a letter to take to the ID card section at Building 4700 explaining what has happened and why you need a new card."
Parsons reminded customers of the difference between a prescription renewal versus a prescription refill, which can affect how long customers may have to wait at the pharmacy.
"A refill means the prescription is still valid and does not require a consult with the provider, you can call in the refill or preferably use Tricare Online," said Parsons, "Then all you have to do is walk up to Window 1 in the pharmacy, you don't have to pull a number, you don't have to wait; just walk up to the window and ask for your refill." He added most standard prescriptions are good for one year before they expire with the number of refills available before they must be renewed.
"Most controlled prescriptions expire after six months before they have to be renewed," said Parsons. "If the prescription is expired, we cannot fill it at the pharmacy, the provider will have to put in a new prescription even if it is a standard medication that a patient has been taking for years. This is a renewal and thus a number must be pulled to be called by one of the pharmacy windows."
The main pharmacy located just inside the east entrance of RACH is not the only option for patients to fill the prescriptions.
"The Pharmissary is our other facility on Fort Sill," said Gallegos. "It is located on the south end of the commissary and is able to fill any prescription that the main pharmacy can. I think it is safe to say that almost all of the beneficiaries that visit Reynolds will use the commissary as well," said Gallegos. "The Pharmissary is an excellent choice to use if you do not have the time to make it to the main pharmacy.
The Pharmissay is open Mondays through Fridays from 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. and typically sees around 200 patients a day. It is not staffed as robustly as the main pharmacy, so if there is a large patient load, the wait can be longer than at the main pharmacy.
The main pharmacy is open Mondays through Fridays from 8:15 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. The automated refill line can be reached at 580-558-2442 or visit www.tricareonline.com to refill online.
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