MDG has new procedures coming for clinic pharmacy

PATRICK AFB, FL. -- The 45th Medical Group is giving itself a facelift. And in order to complete this reconstructive procedure, it means temporary changes are coming.

The MDG at Patrick begins a massive $18.5 million renovation effort with a Groundbreaking Ceremony scheduled for here on August 13. Currently, the PAFB clinic handles over 61,000 patient visits each year and Lt. Col. Craig Lambert, 45th Medical Support Squadron commander, wants to ensure all those Airmen, retirees, and their family members know where to go to get their prescriptions.

"The first thing our patients need to know is that all pharmacy operations will continue as normal at the satellite pharmacy," said Lt. Col. Lambert. "The changes are only in relation to the pharmacy inside the clinic, which will only provide check-in support - meaning that no dispensing of medications will occur there until approximately April 2011."

The clinic pharmacy will be open for sick call until August 13 and will close at 9 a.m. All patients being seen after 9 a.m. beginning that day will go directly to the satellite pharmacy. Starting on August 16, patients will still need to check in at the clinic pharmacy if they are seen in the MDG and have medication ordered. After checking-in at the clinic pharmacy, which will be relocated to room 1131, the office next door to radiology, the patient will be able to use the drive thru or lobby at the satellite pharmacy to pick up all medications ordered at the MDG.

"Patients will check in with clinic pharmacy staff and we will send the medications through to the satellite pharmacy with priority," said Lt. Col. Lambert. "By checking in with clinic staff first, the wait time for the prescriptions will be shorter than if they head directly to the satellite pharmacy. If a patient has a nurse call them regarding their medication and they say it is ready, they will go directly to the satellite pharmacy to have it processed."

As with any medical procedure, the key is to remain focused on the end goal. In this case, that will mean a transformation of the Patrick MDG facilities into a state of the art outpatient clinic that will benefit all of its patients.

"We want our patients to be inconvenienced as little as possible as we undergo
this complete main clinic renovation," said Lt. Col. Lambert. "We will re-open the clinic pharmacy to full operations, including dispensing medications again, when the renovations are complete. We just ask that everyone be patient, as it will be worth the wait once the transformation is complete."