LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. –
Effective Jan. 3, the 633d Medical Group will activate the Deployment Medical Clearance process to expedite and simplify pre-deployment processing.
The process reduces clinic wait times by offering pre-deployment appointments Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays as well as fast-track processing for necessary lab, immunizations and/or pharmacy support.
"To be medically cleared for a deployment, we conduct each member's preventive health assessment, determine dental readiness, immunization status, individual medical equipment needs, medical readiness laboratory studies and deployment limiting conditions as well as the first of the four face-to-face mental health assessments," said Tom Lane, 633d Aerospace Medicine Squadron Force Health Management director.
Prior to the introduction of the appointment system, servicemembers visited Public Health on a walk-in basis, which incurred potentially long wait times. Afterward, members requiring visits to the lab or immunizations may have faced additional wait times, as patients are assisted on a "first come, first served" basis.
The greatest benefit is having a more efficient and effective relationship with supporters of the deployment medical clearance process, translating into better customer service for deployers, Mr. Lane explained.
"This is a requirement for the entire military ... we will strive to make the change as transparent as possible to the customer, but we understand there will be a few bumps along the way," he said. "We are confident that as our process matures, we will have the most efficient and effective deployment medical clearance process in Air Combat Command, if not the entire Air Force."
Deployment Medical Clearance appointments are available Tuesdays beginning at 7:30 a.m., and Wednesdays and Fridays beginning at 12:30 p.m. by calling the Hampton Roads Appointment Center at 1 (866) 645-4584 [1 (866) MIL-HLTH] and selecting "Option 1." If you have difficulty contacting HRAC, call 764-6731 to speak with a deployment technician.