Study of the Referral System for Supplemental Care with Proposed Changes to Improve the Processing of Such Referrals at Reynolds Army Community Hospital, Fort Sill, Oklahoma

摘要

Army medical treatment facilities must often refer outpatients and, periodically, inpatients to civilian health care providers for services which are beyond the capabilities of the Army facility. Such referrals fall into two general categories. The first category is comprised of those patients who are referred under the provisions of the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services (CHAMPUS) for outpatient care. CHAMPUS referrals may be for either total care or cooperative care. The second category is comprised of those patients who are referred under supplemental care. These referrals include those nonelective specialized treatment procedures, consultations, or tests (such as computerized tomography scans or mammograms) and supplies required by a military health care provider to augment the overall course of care being provided by an Army medical treatment facility to authorized beneficiaries. This study developed recommendations for improvement of the current supplemental care system of Reynolds Army Community Hospital, Fort Sill, Oklahoma. The author developed a model on how the supplemental care referral system would optimally function. The system at Reynolds Army Community Hospital was compared with the model and the differences compiled into recommendations for system improvements. Keywords: Health care; Medical services. (kt)