Military Health Care: Factors Affecting Contractors' Ability to Schedule Appointments

The Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense/Health Affairs through three initiatives is improving the effectiveness of the appointment scheduling process. Managed Care Support Contract (MCSC) representation has been incorporated at Appointment Standardization Integrated Program Team (IPT) meetings. This will ensure that MCSC personnel are team members of any appointments business process improvements decided upon. Second, the Appointment Standardization (APS) IPT reduced and standardized the number of appointment types and other Composite Health Care System (CHCS) data elements. Finally, the Department has conducted pilot programs in three TRICARE Regions in which the scheduling functions will move to on-site TRICARE Service Centers to better utilize contractor personnel to simplify the appointing process. While moving scheduling functions to on-site Service Centers did not occur due to logistical difficulties, the other actions will improve access to care for the patients, maximize the use of Managed Care Support personnel, simplify the appointing process for MTF and MCSC appointments personnel and provide one standardized appointing model for booking across the entire Military Health System (MHS). The Department issued a change order to the Managed Care Support Contracts to implement the standardized/simplified business rules. This change should better utilize contractor appointments personnel and improve beneficiary service. The goal is to implement a more uniform process for making appointments that puts the right patient, with the right provider in the right appointment at the right time.