Pharmacy helps Team Travis stay healthy

  • Published
  • By Airman Michael Battles
  • 60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE,Cali. --  DGMC's pharmacy, part of the Medical Diagnostics and Therapeutic Squadron, is one of the largest in the Air Force filling more than 50,000 prescriptions and ordering $2.5 million worth of medication every month.

The facility is divided into four parts: outpatient, inpatient, an external Base Exchange pharmacy and clinic where patients are seen by physicians.

The 60th MDTS is made up of the pharmacy, nutritional medicine, radiology and lab, according to Lt. Col. Michael Lee, 60th MDTS deputy pharmacy flight commander.

"We fill 70 percent of our prescriptions internally and 30 percent from off-base providers," said Colonel Lee. "At most bases the percentages are reversed with most prescriptions being filled by outside sources."

On average the pharmacy at DGMC serves 1,000 to 1,500 patients a day and 27,000 to 30,000 a month.

The most common medications prescribed are non-steroidal (i.e. Motrin) and high cholesterol pills, said Colonel Lee.

Our main goal is to make sure everyone gets the proper medicine they need in a timely manner, said Senior Airman Raguay, 60th MDTS pharmacy tech. My job is to process all prescriptions, fill them and counsel patients. We want everyone at Travis to keep healthy, so we can continue to serve and keep the mission going.

"As an inpatient pharmacy technician, it is my duty to review and order prescriptions and make sure all information pertaining to the patient is correct, said Airman 1st Class Leonard Portillo, 60th MDTS inpatient pharmacy technician.

The DGMC pharmacy is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Base Exchange external location is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Serving more than 96,000 TRICARE eligible patients in the Sacramento and San Francisco area, David Grant USAF Medical Center is the largest Air Force Medical Center on the west coast.

For more information on DGMC facilities, visit www.travis.af.mil.