JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas –
With an abundance of caution, the 59th Medical Wing has begun a phased reopening of primary and surgical care as of June 1.
Please be advised that aspects of the following plan may change based on this evolving situation. The safety and well-being of our beneficiaries and staff remain our top priority.
Emergency Services
Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland’s Urgent Care Center has transitioned back to a Family Emergency Center and resumed emergency operations, in addition to Brooke Army Medical Center's 24/7 emergency operations. In case of an emergency, patients should proceed to their closest emergency room or call 9-1-1.
Primary Care
Starting June 1, our primary care clinics -- to include Family Medicine, Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Optometry at Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center, Randolph Clinic, and Gateway Bulverde Clinic -- will increase the number of face-to-face visits available while continuing to leverage virtual healthcare, building much-needed capacity and readiness along the way.
Our primary focus remains on providing safe and reliable healthcare to all of our beneficiaries. Face-to-face visits will only be conducted at the discretion of the patient’s provider team and in a pre-arranged and coordinated fashion. To reduce COVID-19 risk, beneficiaries should not visit the clinic unless directed to do so by their provider team. If scheduled for an in-person visit, patients will be screened for COVID symptoms and everyone must have a face covering to enter the clinic.
At this time, patients are only able to schedule a virtual visit on TRICARE Online, or TOL, or through the Central Appointment Management Office at 210-916-9900. If a face-to-face visit is preferred, patients should let the CAMO agent know at the time of booking a virtual visit or call the clinic to speak with their provider team.
If you suspect you may have COVID, do not come to the clinic. Instead, either schedule a virtual visit with your provider or visit the Randolph Clinic COVID screening and testing site located on the south side of the first-floor parking garage weekdays from 8 a.m. to noon.
To further minimize COVID risk, we ask beneficiaries to limit the number of people that accompany them to their in-person appointment. Pediatric patients may only be accompanied by one adult caregiver (unless otherwise instructed by the clinic), and adult patients are not permitted to have anyone accompany them to their appointment unless necessary to ensure the safety of the patient.
Primary care clinics will continue to operate weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Screening and Testing
COVID-19 screening and testing is still available at Randolph Clinic by appointment only via the drive-thru operation.
Elective Surgery
As with primary care, we will begin to expand our surgical services starting June 1. While urgent and emergent cases have continued unabated throughout the pandemic, clinics will be scheduling other procedures, to include some elective surgeries, based on medical needs and the care team’s recommendation. Patients will be contacted directly to schedule these procedures. Patients who had been scheduled for a procedure prior and have a question or concern should contact their clinic or provider for more information.
Radiology
Radiology is working diligently to process provider imaging requests, while also increasing the length of appointments to ensure adequate time for cleaning/sanitation of rooms and equipment and to ensure appropriate social distancing in waiting areas. While screening mammograms will resume, there may be some limitations of availability given the increased length of appointments.
Dental Services
The Air Force Dental Readiness Assurance Program (annual dental exam) for active duty members will resume on June 1 and retirement, separation, overseas clearance dental exams for family members will resume on June 8. Until further notice, dental cleanings will not be provided. However, dental emergency and Active Duty Class 3 care/services will continue.
Pharmacy
As part of the phased reopening, the curbside pharmacy located on JBSA-Lackland will discontinue its services effective June 15, and patients will need to go to the JBSA-Lackland Satellite pharmacy to process their off-base prescriptions. To ensure continued safety and convenience, the 59th MDW pharmacies will implement a streamlined pick-up and drop-off process.
Due to updated COVID-19 social distancing measures, patients will be permitted to enter pharmacy waiting areas in limited numbers. During this time, all patients arriving at the pharmacies will stand in line to pick-up prescriptions. To initiate prescription processing, requests can be done at the WHASC clinic by calling 210-292-7970 or by dropping off the completed prescription form given to them by their providers at the information desk located by entrance A. Initiating off-base provider prescriptions at the JBSA-Lackland Satellite can be done by calling 210-292-2400 or dropping off a hardcopy prescription into the drop box located by the entrance of the Satellite building.
For dropped off or requested prescriptions, patients will be asked to return to the pharmacy after two hours to pick-up their prescription order. Patients may receive a phone/text message when prescriptions are ready to be picked up. However, any prescription requests that are initiated by calling, information desk or drop box after 2 p.m. will be processed and ready the next duty day after 9 a.m.
Patients are asked and encouraged to call ahead to have their prescriptions activated by the pharmacy prior to their arrival for pick-up. Patients who have an antibiotic prescription, who are physically disabled, or have a clinic appointment will be given priority service.
59th MDW Pharmacy Phone Numbers:
WHASC Clinic: 210-292-7970
Randolph Clinic: 210-652-6742
JBSA-Lackland Satellite: 210-292-2400
Gateway Bulverde Clinic: 210-292-0122
Hours of operation for all 59th MDW pharmacies are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Refill requests may be initiated via the refill call line at 210-292-7000 or through the TRICARE online patient portal. Please allow for a 72-hour turnaround time for called-in or online refill prescription requests.
Patients also have the option of obtaining a 90 supply of their medications via TRICARE Pharmacy Home Delivery or at retail network pharmacies (three, 30-day supplies at the cost of three copayments.) Consider using home delivery to conveniently access maintenance medications (drugs regularly taken for a chronic condition) without leaving your home. Visit https://militaryrx.express-scripts.com/home-delivery for more information.
Reid Clinic
Services were not limited at Reid Clinic by COVID-19 and the clinic continues to deliver routine primary and occupational health care to basic and technical trainees. Trainees can access health care at Reid Clinic Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m.
SAMHS COVID-19 Nurse Info Line
The SAMHS COVID-19 Nurse Info Line will be discontinued on June 5 at 5 p.m. For COVID-19 related symptoms, during duty hours, please call the Consult and Appointment Management Office (CAMO) at 210-916-9900 to schedule a virtual or face-to-face appointment with your PCM team. For general questions related to COVID-19, place a secure message for your PCM team or refer to guidance on the CDC's COVID-19 website. Outside of the CAMO operational hours, beneficiaries should call the MHS Nurse Advice Line at 1-800-TRICARE (824-2273) or visit MHSNurseAdviceline.com to speak with a Nurse.
AAFES Services
AAFES services located within WHASC are open to all beneficiaries and staff. Seating will not be available, and face coverings and social distancing in lines and food-service areas will be required. In addition, hand sanitizer must be used to enter the facilities, and patrons must adhere to one-way entry/exit.
Safety Always
As we begin our phased re-opening, we ask everyone to remain vigilant in their individual safety and discipline – maintain social distancing, wear a face covering and stay home if you’re feeling ill. This is the best way to support and protect yourself and each other.
Beneficiaries who have questions or symptoms they would like to discuss with a healthcare professional can send a secure message through the TOL Secure Messaging function or call CAMO at 210-916-9900. After hours and on weekends, call the MHS Nurse Advice Line at 1-800-TRICARE (874-2273), option 1.
We will continue to cautiously evaluate each phase of reopening, working alongside our military and community partners, to both contain the spread and mitigate the impact of the virus. As this situation is rapidly evolving, we appreciate everyone’s patience and support during this transition!
For the most up-to-date information, visit the 59th MDW Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/59mdw or the 59th MDW website at https://www.59mdw.af.mil/.