JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas –
With the primary goal of minimizing patient impact, the 59th Medical Wing will begin relocating clinics and services to the new Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center on Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, on Tuesday, May 30, 2017.
“We have been working diligently with the transition team to ensure this state-of-the-art facility was ready for our patients and staff. The wing is excited for the upcoming transition and we will continue our commitment to safely providing our patients with ready access to quality, patient-centered health care,” said Brig. Gen. John DeGoes, 59th Medical Wing vice commander.
The move will officially start Tuesday, May 30, 2017 and continue systematically in phases until the facility is fully operational on Friday, July 14, 2017. The new Wilford Hall will offer patients a better experience, DeGoes added.
The facility features logical floor plans that improve operational efficiencies. The wing also organized departments according to functionality and patient volume. An airport-style concourse, organized around gardens which provide natural light, connects the facility’s four wings to help patients maneuver through high traffic areas.
“We had our patients in mind at every step, from concept to construction. Thanks to that focus, the new Wilford Hall is a more efficient facility that patients and beneficiaries will enjoy visiting,” said Col. Scott Suckow, 59th MDW Administrator.
Relocating a military treatment facility and all of its functions can be challenging, but wing leadership is assuring beneficiaries that routine and urgent care will be available during the transition even as clinics and services are temporarily closed.
“If our patients or beneficiaries need care, get hurt or are sick, they can trust the 59th MDW to provide the treatment they need without delay,” Suckow said.
The 59th MDW Urgent Care Center will be the last clinic to relocate. The new UCC, located on the first floor of the new Wilford Hall, is scheduled to open June 30. During the UCC transition, staff will direct patients to alternative clinic locations to address acute care needs.
Airmen at information booths on the medical campus, volunteers at information desks in both facilities, and wayfinding kiosks located along the main concourse in the new building will help patients navigate to appointments. Step-saver transportation will also be available in the parking lots to help patients get to the right location.
Additionally, wing staff will update www.WilfordHallMove.com, a webpage with information and timelines, daily when the transition begins. Beneficiaries are also encouraged to follow the wing Facebook page, www.facebook.com/59MDW, for regular updates.
To make an appointment at the Wilford Hall, call the Consult and Appointment Management Office at 210-916-9900; staff will inform patients of current clinic locations. Patients can also call the 59th MDW information desk at 210-292-7412 for information during the transition.