JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas –
Brooke Army Medical Center now offers female service members a walk-in clinic for contraception on Wednesdays from noon to 2 p.m. in the Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine Clinic at the Capt. Jennifer M. Moreno Clinic.
The Patients in Need of Contraception, or PINC, clinic is open to all female permanent party active duty service members assigned to Joint Base San Antonio.
“A team of providers and nurses are available to help with decision making, prescription refills or starting a new form of contraception altogether, including Long Acting Reversible Contraception, or LARC, options that might require a procedure,” said Elaine Boshoff, registered nurse.
“PINC clinics are a point of care system for receiving birth control pills, patches, vaginal rings, birth control shots, etonogestrel implants or an intrauterine device.”
The staff also hopes to address issues such as questions that arise while choosing an appropriate form of contraception, provide education on menstrual suppression, unplanned pregnancy, personal health, and hygiene-related issues to improve force readiness and mission accomplishment.
The team established a similar clinic earlier this year at McWethy Troop Medical Clinic for female trainees. These clinics were so popular, we decided to offer them to our permanent party personnel as well, Boshoff explained.
“Receiving contraception should not have a negative impact on training, education or the mission,” Boshoff said. “Care needs to be delivered faster, be more structured, and meet the needs of women in uniform.”