FORT SILL, Okla. Jan. 28, 2016 -- It's called "increased access to care." But at Reynolds Army Community Hospital (RACH) it means longer wait times at the pharmacy.
There are more people using RACH facilities, and to increase efficiency and access to more people, medical providers are seeing 21 patients a day, up from 13 a day in 2015. More patients equals more prescriptions.
There has been upward of 90 people at one time waiting for prescriptions at the RACH pharmacy. Even with nine windows open, serving that many people may mean an hour-long wait.
"The goal was to have everybody served in 15 minutes," said Lt. Col. Shawn Parsons, chief of the pharmacy department. "That was when we had 400 people a day. Now we might have 700."
Another feature of the increased access to care is that the pharmacy has increased the types of drugs it carries in its formulary.
"We have a basic formulary, which has the common drugs we need to carry," said Parsons. "Then there's a uniform formulary, which the DoD says you may stock." It is the latter category that RACH has expanded, meaning more prescriptions are getting filled here.
"If you bring a prescription from Fort Hood and we don't carry that medication, I'll order and stock it for you if there are no restrictions, such as requiring that you try other medications first."
That means fewer prescriptions filled off-post, and more people at the RACH pharmacy. Unlike at civilian pharmacies, there's no such thing as dropping off a prescription and coming back later to pick it up.
So to make it easier on patients and the pharmacy staff, RACH has some advice.
Use TRICARE Online or call in your refills to the Main Pharmacy or the Pharmissary located just south of the Fort Sill Commissary entrance. Both have a dedicated window for pickups without the need to take a number ticket.
"If you call it in by 7 a.m. it's ready by 1 p.m.," said Parsons.
Don't confuse prescription renewals with refills. Prescriptions are good for one year from the date they were written. "Just because the bottle says you have four refills left doesn't mean you can get it filled past the expiration date," Parsons emphasized.
Thus you have a renewal, which must be authorized by the physician.
Transferring your prescription from another post generally takes 24 hours, so expect a delay.
Don't go to the pharmacy during lunch to fill a prescription. That's usually the busiest time, and uniformed personnel get priority. First thing in the morning (8:15 to 9 a.m.) is generally best and there is a new Starbucks kiosk nearby to make the wait more pleasant.
So don't go by the old military motto "hurry up and wait." Plan ahead. Plan smart. It will make getting your medications at the RACH pharmacy less time-consuming.
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