Choosing between PCM, ER or UCC

Photo By Jason Bortz | TRICARE beneficiaries should always choose to see their Medical Home Port Team or primary care manager for non-emergent or non-urgent care. Medical Home Port Teams or PCMs are best suited for physicals, prescription refills, screening and long-term health care management for illnesses such as diabetes or high blood pressure.  

PENSACOLA, FL, UNITED STATES

10.30.2015

Story by Jason Bortz 

NMRTC Pensacola

PENSACOLA, Fla. - With multiple options available to TRICARE beneficiaries in the Pensacola area, deciding on where and when to seek medical attention is not always easy.

Sometimes that decision can be critical to receiving the proper care without delay.

For non-emergent or non-urgent care, making an appointment with a Medical Home Port Team or primary care manager (PCM) is always the best option for TRICARE beneficiaries. The Medical Home Port Teams, or PCM if enrolled outside of the hospital, should be the first choice for common illnesses such as flu, fever, vaccinations and minor injuries such as sprains and strains. They are best suited for physicals, prescription refills, screening and long-term health care management for illnesses such as diabetes or high blood pressure.

“When patients regularly see their doctor, it leads to a better understanding of their personal and medical needs, which leads to overall better care,” said Cmdr. Joe Penta, department head for Naval Hospital Pensacola’s Family Medicine Clinic. “A Medical Home Port Team or a patient’s regular physician should always be the first choice for treating common illnesses and managing long term health care.”

Beneficiaries enrolled to one of the Medical Home Port Teams at NHP have several options available to contact their team. The teams are always available by phone to answer questions during normal clinic hours, and beneficiaries can also send questions to their team at any time with secure messaging through RelayHealth. All messages sent with RelayHealth will be answered within one business day. To use RelayHealth, an account must be created at www.relayheath.com.

For care in the evening or weekends, NHP’s Urgent Care Center is available to all TRICARE beneficiaries for non-emergent care. The UCC is open seven days a week, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m., to treat beneficiaries for conditions such as minor injuries like sprains and strains, minor cuts and burns, fractures or minor broken bones and sports injuries. The UCC can also treat for common illnesses such as colds, fever, flu, sore throats and coughs, but beneficiaries are encouraged to use their Medical Home Port Teams for these types of symptoms during normal business hours before utilizing the UCC.

“Our UCC is a great option for minor injuries or common illnesses during weekends or evenings when the Medical Home Port Teams are not available,” said Lt. Brett Salazar, department head for NHP’s UCC. “It’s also available for TRICARE beneficiaries not enrolled at the hospital, and our average time for patients to be seen and discharged is about an hour for minor cases. More severe injuries or a large number of patients may increase the length of the visit, but our UCC will always provide quality and safe care as efficiently as possible.”

For life threatening or serious health conditions, beneficiaries are encouraged to visit an emergency room or call 911. Life threatening or serious health conditions may include severe abdominal pain, vomiting blood, severe burns, deep lacerations, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, sudden dizziness, numbness in the face or extremities, seizures, head trauma or any condition believed to be life-threatening. For conditions such as these, it is important to seek emergency care as quickly as possible.

“If someone thinks they are having an emergency or has a serious injury, they should visit an Emergency Room,” said Salazar. “Delaying immediate emergency care could lead to serious consequences.”

A common condition that is often hard to determine the cause initially is chest pain. Chest pain could be something as minor as acid reflux, but it could be a symptom of a heart attack. Chest pain should not be taken lightly and beneficiaries should err on the side of caution and seek immediate care if they believe they are having a heart attack or are not sure of the cause.

“Symptoms for a heart attack could be chest pressure, difficulty breathing or cold sweats, but not all of those symptoms may be present,” said Lt. Cmdr. Robert Dendall, a cardiologist at NHP. “It can very difficult for someone to recognize they are having a heart attack. If someone is having chest pain, they should call 911.”

If beneficiaries are unsure of where they should seek medical care, TRICARE has the Nurse Advise Line that is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and can be reached by dialing 1-800-874-2273, option one. A nurse will be available to assist with medical questions and selecting the proper level of health care.

Quick access to the Nurse Advise Line, RelayHealth and the hospital’s Medical Home Port Team are all available on the free NHP smartphone app. To download the app, search Naval Hospital Pensacola in an Android or iOS app store.

• Date Taken: 10.30.2015
• Date Posted: 10.30.2015 15:18
• Story ID: 180449
• Location: PENSACOLA, FL, US