Hospital revamps referral appointment system

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Renee Kirkland
  • 48th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England (AFPN) --  Air Force Smart Ops 21 initiatives are not just for operational matters. The Referral Management Center at the hospital here is making a difference in the care for all patients requiring the need of a specialist.

The hospital caters to more than 21 specialties in 12 separate clinics, according to Capt. Michael Hamilton, 48th Medical Group executive officer. For many people, the time spent getting an appointment in one of those clinics was very long.

Previously, primary care providers would send their patients to specialty clinics to make follow-up appointments on their own. Sometimes the appointments could be made right then. Other times, the patient had to call the clinic and remind them of the proposed appointment.

In November, Captain Hamilton met with the hospital's utilization nurse and set up a team to discuss how the hospital could revamp the treatment of referral appointments. The team comprised physicians, technicians and administrators --anyone who had a stake in the process.

"At the time, the hospital used 15 to 20 people throughout the facility to manage referral appointments," Captain Hamilton said. "Each clinic had a medical administrator who dealt with the requests." This took time away from patient care.

The hospital now uses a system modeled after an Air Force initiative started stateside. The concept centralizes the internal and external referral process, Captain Hamilton said.

Centralization is exactly what happened. The number of people involved in the process went from 15 to 20 down to four.

"We have effectively decreased clinical administration time and given back patient care time back to the clinics," Captain Hamilton said.

Since the hospital at Royal Air Force Lakenheath is the largest in the U.S. Air Forces in Europe command, it serves as a test base for the project and will serve as a staging ground for the other hospitals.

But this is not solely an operation run without consultation with the specialty clinics themselves.

"The clinics continue to give us guidance and input on what type of care they can provide," said Karen Becker, who works in the RMC. "We provide that link with the provider and the clinic, and see that all information flows in both directions so that follow-up care can be provided."

The RMC also provides service to the geographically separated units in the United Kingdom and manages off-base referrals.

The new system shortens the steps for patients to receive care and takes the guesswork out of making an appointment at a specialty clinic.

"The previous system could be a little confusing for patients," said Staff Sgt. Heather Bowser, RMC NCO in charge. "This new process provides services in one location for the patient. Once they get here, we can book their appointment here or off base."