NHB Family Practice and Patient Administration Personnel Assist Returning Family Members

By Douglas H. Stutz, Naval Hosptial Bremerton Public Affairs Officer

SEATTLE (NNS) -- Naval Hospital Bremerton staff assisted with the arrival of military family members who were part of the voluntary authorized departure from Japan at Seattle-Tacoma international airport March 21.

The military-chartered flight arrived from Naval Air Facility Atsugi with 154 passengers and 21 pets. NBH was one of numerous Navy assets to help support the U.S. Army North joint mission, with an established reception and coordination center to receive, account for, and render support for the returning family members.

Patient Administration hospital corpsmen, a doctor and nurse from the Family Practice Clinic, and technical support from the leading chief petty officer of Information Management Division, aided in the overall process to get the family members to their final destinations scattered throughout the U.S. The Army-led joint service support team brought in experts from personnel services, logistic and other specialties to streamline and personally manage and address the returnees' needs and required administrative accountability.

"We are here in this joint environment to provide military-medical liaison, any basic medical needs, handle triage requirements and screen anyone for any health-related issues," said Cmdr. Pat Taylor, of NHB's Family Practice Assistant Department Head.

The Monday flight followed the initial arrival on March 19 that brought approximately 240 military family members to the designated destination, including 190 children and nine pets from Yokota AB.

"We had some minor medical issues on Saturday such as allergies kicking in and some gastro-intestinal distress," Taylor said. "We handled everything with the supplies we had on hand."

These two flights are the beginning of multiple chartered flights bringing in almost 7,000 Department of Defense personnel and family members impacted by devastating March 11 earthquake and tsunamis.

"Bringing military medicine to where it's needed is what we do," said Lt. Cmdr. Gray Dawson, of NHB Family Practice, noting that for the majority of passengers arriving, the common theme was simply a relief to finally be at their chosen destination. "But we're here for anything, even working with them to clear up TRICARE questions or find and contact a case manager for them to where they are headed, or just seeing them or their children for any reason at all."

For Minerva Aguinaga, traveling from NAF Atsugi with her six-month old daughter, Cassandra, and another baby on the way, her main concern after the long flight was linking up with a provider at her final destination to assist with checkups during her pregnancy. Aguinaga also had concerns about base access and unfamiliarity with the area in which she was headed.

Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Jerry Wagner, of NHB Patient Admin, seamlessly stepped in to calm her unease. Wagner, adept in fleet liaison and family consult issues, took the paperwork to ensure Aguinaga's family information would be correctly updated in TRICARE. He then explained how he would arrange contact information and facilitate necessary paperwork for her upcoming appointments.

Losing access to medical care for family members arriving from Japan has been alleviated by TRICARE Management Activity. TRICARE Overseas Prime beneficiaries may be unable to access their usual sources of medical care and pharmacy services. To compensate, TRICARE has established a waiver of the usual referral requirements in order to ensure access to health care and medications, and to prevent enrollees from incurring point of service charges. The TRICARE waiver is in place from March 11, 2011 until midnight on June 30, 2011, with the option for extension based upon an analysis of the situation at that time.

Additionally, communication disruptions may further limit beneficiaries' ability to contact International SOS, the TRICARE Overseas Prime contractor, to arrange referrals. To compensate, TRICARE has established a waiver of the usual referral requirements in order to ensure access to health care and medications, and to prevent enrollees from incurring point of service charges. This waiver is also in place until midnight on June 30, 2011, with the option for extension based upon an analysis of the situation at that time. For more information, visit www.tricare.mil/tsunami.

"Although we haven't fielded a lot of questions, the families arriving see we're here and everyone one else standing by to help them. That takes a lot off their mind. The combined team effort going on here really is tremendous," Taylor said. "The [Naval Base Kitsap] Child Development Center has set up a great area to watch the children so the parents can concentrate on getting checked in and our Fleet and Family Support team has so much compassion in reaching out to every family member and helping them."

"What an amazing experience and the folks, as tired and stressed as they were, just handled everything with absolute strength. Even the kids," said Britt Feldman, of NBK Fleet and Family Support Center.