TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – The base exchange satellite pharmacy will begin processing prescriptions from all off-base providers Aug. 26 as the 60th Medical Group at Travis AFB transitions to the new electronic healthcare record system, MHS GENESIS.
David Grant USAF Medical Center will go live with the new Department of Defense system Sept. 7. The transition will cause delays in DGMC services, including pharmacy, said Col. Bernard Vanpelt, 60th MDG pharmacy flight commander.
“The new system has more comprehensive options and functionality for managing patient medical record requirements; however, like most new record keeping programs, there is a learning curve,” he said.
Patients can expect prescription processing times to double at both the main and satellite pharmacies as staff become familiar with the new system.
The pharmacy staff will process prescriptions from network providers at the satellite pharmacy and prescriptions from DGMC providers at the main pharmacy. This should alleviate some of the congestion at the main pharmacy and allow satellite pharmacy patients to access the commissary and base exchange while they wait, said Vanpelt.
Also during the transition, processing time for refills will be extended to three days.
To help avoid running out of medications, patients can request prescription refills 22 days ahead of the expiration date for a 90-day supply and seven days ahead for a 30-day supply, said Vanpelt.
The new operating hours for the satellite pharmacy will be the same as the main pharmacy, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
“As members become more familiar with navigating through all the required prompts (in the new system), the expectation is that services will return to near normal,” said Vanpelt. “We do appreciate your patience during this upcoming transition and we look forward to continuing to serve all of our military beneficiaries.”
MHS GENESIS will integrate inpatient and outpatient information into one system. It also will standardize patient record systems across all services, improving the ability to monitor patient safety, outcomes and population health data.
The new electronic health system is being deployed in waves. Travis AFB is in the first wave, along with Naval Air Station Lemoore and U.S. Army Health Clinic Presidio of Monterey in California and Mountain Home AFB, Idaho.