JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO - RANDOLPH, Texas –
Patients with acute issues such as sore throat, fever and chest pains now have faster access to care at the Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph Medical Clinic.
The 359th Medical Group has instituted the Randolph Independent Fast Track, or RIFT, to accommodate patients at an average rate of 50 to 60 per day.
“The RIFT was instituted to attempt to meet patient same-day needs, create patient access and to reduce the outpour of acute needs to civilian urgent care centers and emergency rooms,” said Maj. (Dr.) David Dy, 359th MDG Family Health Clinic medical director.
The RIFT’s current staffing is two providers who rotate from each of the three medical home teams at the Family Health Clinic, said Capt. Brenda Robinson, 359th MDG family nurse practitioner. Each of the providers sees 26 patients per day.
However, starting in May, the RIFT staff will have three providers each day, one from each medical home team, allowing for patients to be seen by someone from their own team, she said.
The RIFT staff comprises physicians, physician assistants, registered and licensed vocational nurses, and medical technicians. The acute issues they see include sore throats, urinary tract infections, asthma attacks, chest pains, colds and the flu – anything that needs to be addressed within 24 hours.
“We see patients for acute issues that have been going on for less than seven days,” Robinson said.
RIFT appointments are required – except for active-duty members, who are accepted as walk-in patients – and can be booked through the central appointment line, 210-916-9900.
Patients are seen the same day they book an appointment, but they are encouraged to call the appointment line as early in the day as possible, Robinson said. Some patients prefer to book an appointment the day before they go to the RIFT clinic.
The RIFT’s hours are 7:15 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Friday. Appointments last 15 minutes and only address the pertinent health concern.
Patients should arrive 15 minutes prior to their appointment time and should understand that a follow-up appointment will be booked with their primary care team if multiple or chronic issues need to be addressed.
The RIFT is not meant for emergency care, Robinson said.
“Patients who need immediate care should go to an emergency room,” she said. “Sometimes we have to refer a patient at the RIFT clinic to an emergency room.”
The RIFT is advantageous to patients and staff, Dy said.
“One of the greatest benefits to the clinic is being able to address single, urgent care needs for our patients on the same day,” he said. “Additionally, it has allowed our medical technicians and nursing staff to engage in more clinical care.”
It also receives positive reviews from patients, Dy said.
“Patients seemingly love the clinic as they are able to get in and get simple issues addressed in a timely manner,” he said. “The clinic continues to progress effectively and should become more efficient as we continue.”