JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas –
The Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph Exchange Satellite Pharmacy has instituted changes to better serve military beneficiaries in the area.
The satellite pharmacy has adopted a new refill process that originates at the refill center at JBSA-Lackland, and added more than 200 products to its formulary line of available products.
"The JBSA refill center now processes our refills and couriers our prescriptions over to our pharmacy for dispensing," Capt. Chi Nguyen-Johnson, 359th Medical Support Squadron satellite pharmacy officer in charge, said. "The reason for this change of process is to allow our staff here to better serve those patients bringing in new prescriptions."
Nguyen-Johnson said patients should call the new refill number, 210-292-7000, and follow the prompts to refill their prescriptions. To pick up their refills at the Randolph BX satellite pharmacy, they need to choose option 2.
"Refills called in before noon Monday through Friday will be available for pick-up the following duty day," Nguyen-Johnson said. "Refills called in after noon Monday through Friday and on weekends may be picked up in two duty days."
"Refills can be called in when 75 percent of the prescription has been used - such as 68 days for a 90-day supply and 23 days for a 30-day supply," she added.
Nguyen-Johnson also encourages patients not to wait until the last minute to call in refills since they are only kept on the shelf for one week before being returned to the refill center.
Patients may notice their medications look different. "This is because a different pharmacy is filling the prescription and we cannot guarantee that all pharmacies carry the same manufacturer of the medication," Nguyen-Johnson said.
"The products added to the pharmacy's formulary include more dosage forms, strengths and new medications," Tech. Sgt. Kelli Jackson, 359th MDSS satellite pharmacy NCO in charge, said. "This allows us to become more uniform with the formularies at the other JBSA military treatment facilities (like the) Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center and the San Antonio Military Medical Center."
Nguyen-Johnson said 25 percent of the additional products are available, off the shelf, at the JBSA-Randolph satellite pharmacy. The remainder requires a turnaround of up to four duty days.
New prescriptions or renewals of expired prescriptions, which are entered into the computer system at JBSA Military Treatment Facilities, will be processed at the clinic pharmacy.
Patients should go to the satellite pharmacy for civilian prescriptions, non-formulary requests from JBSA providers and refill pickups.
Jackson said patients who are pressed for time should use the pharmacy's drop box service, which is available before, during and after normal business hours.
"Prescriptions dropped off before 4:15 p.m. Monday through Friday will be available for pickup after 10 a.m. the following duty day," she said, "while prescriptions dropped off after 4:15 p.m. Friday and throughout the weekend will be available for pickup in two duty days."
In order to be processed, prescriptions should include the following information: name, sponsor's Social Security number, date of birth, allergies, reachable phone number and address.
For more information and a list of current pharmacy formulary products available at JBSA pharmacies and refill centers, visit www.randolph.af.mil and look for "Randolph Pharmacy" under "Additional Links."