Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class James Stenberg | On June 1, the Emergency Room at Naval Hospital Pensacola will be converted into an...... read more read more
PENSACOLA, Fla. - On June 1, the Emergency Room at Naval Hospital Pensacola will be converted into an Urgent Care Center that will be open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
The UCC will be available to all TRICARE beneficiaries to include TRICARE Prime enrolled at the hospital, TRICARE Prime Network, TRICARE Standard and TRICARE For Life. Veterans enrolled in the Gulf Coast Veterans Health Care System have not been authorized by the VA to use NHP’s UCC and should contact their VA healthcare team for their urgent care needs.
Eligible beneficiaries will be able to visit the UCC for acute care symptoms such as minor lacerations and injuries, fevers, sore throats and cough. Beneficiaries enrolled with a Medical Home Port Team at NHP or one of its local branch clinics are highly encouraged to contact their Medical Home Port Team before visiting the UCC.
“The Medical Home Port Teams know their patients best because they see them on a regular basis,” said Capt. Maureen Padden, commanding officer, NHP. “Having continuity of care with the same team of healthcare professionals is a huge benefit to our patients enrolled here because there is a relationship established between the team and patient, which leads to trust and better overall care. Our beneficiaries now have better access to care through their Medical Home Port Teams than ever. We offer same day appointments and a team of healthcare professionals dedicated to the care of our patients.”
After June 1, emergency services at NHP will no longer be available. Tricare beneficiaries in need of emergency services should visit one of the local ERs or call 911. Examples of types of emergencies that should be seen at an ER include chest pains, stroke-like symptoms, difficulty breathing or head traumas. Beneficiaries also have the option of calling the Nurse Advice Line 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 1-800-TRICARE, option 1. The Nurse Advice Line offers professional healthcare advice and can assist beneficiaries with deciding if they should visit an ER, the UCC or schedule an appointment with their provider.
“You should always err on the side of caution,” said Padden. “If you believe you are having a true emergency, then call 911 or visit an Emergency Room.”
The decision to convert the ER into a UCC was based on Navy Medicine’s efforts to align resources to best meet the operational needs of the Navy, reduce healthcare costs and streamline its resources to provide the best care possible to beneficiaries. The hospital currently sees approximately 50 patients a day in the ER, which is relatively low when compared to the local civilian ERs that can see approximately 200 patients a day.
“A significant portion of the patients currently seen in our ER will be able to be seen in our Urgent Care Center when it opens,” said Padden. “The small number of true emergencies seen at our ER will now be referred to the civilian ERs, with whom we have excellent relationships. We are very fortunate as a naval hospital to be able to provide healthcare to those that have served our country and their families. We will continue to provide the exceptional care that our beneficiaries deserve and expect from us.”
| Date Taken: | 05.19.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 05.19.2014 15:38 |
| Story ID: | 130353 |
| Location: | PENSACOLA, FLORIDA, US |
| Web Views: | 320 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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