377 MDG referral office opens new reception window

Photo By Senior Airman Karissa Dick | Shelia Smith, 377th Medical Group referral management clerk, helps a patient at the new referral management reception window at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, April 26, 2023. The reception window officially opened on March 1, 2023, and provides patients with an area providing direct customer service for medical referrals. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Karissa Dick)  

ALBUQUERQUE, NM, UNITED STATES

05.17.2023

Story by Senior Airman Karissa Dick 

377th Air Base Wing

The 377th Medical Group recently opened a new reception window for the referral management office. The reception window officially opened on March 1, 2023, and provides patients with an area providing direct customer service for medical referrals.
“Many times, when a beneficiary needs assistance they can’t always get through to TRICARE,” said Capt. Ismael Cabrera, Tricare Operations and Patient Administration flight commander. “With the window being open and an actual person being present, it gives patients hope that their questions and concerns will be addressed in a prompt manner.”
According to Cabrera, adding a customer service window was a big change for the referral management office, but the teamwork amongst the staff made the window a success with patients.
“We've received really good feedback, especially from our patient advocate,” explained Cabrera. “She's been getting a lot of good feedback from patients saying having someone to talk to and actually explain the referral process helps a lot.”
Michele Kibler, TOPA deputy flight commander, described her experience with having a customer service window.
“Having this window open now will benefit Kirtland and its residents in a tremendous way,” said Kibler. “Our mission at the end of the day is to make sure our customers have been heard and their healthcare needs have been taken care of and that’s what I see when they walk away from this window.”
The referral window is available to all Tricare Prime beneficiaries and is open from 8:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m. located on the 2nd floor of the 377th Medical Group.
Beneficiaries can contact Kirtland Referral Management at 505-846-3402 if they don’t have the ability to come into the clinic physically. The online referral service is also available for patients on the MHS GENESIS patient portal: https://my.mhsgenesis.health.mil/ or the TRICARE West page: TRICARE West (tricare-west.com).

• Date Taken: 05.17.2023
• Date Posted: 05.17.2023 12:21
• Story ID: 444936
• Location: ALBUQUERQUE, NM, US