Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Sick call is by appointment only. Appointments are made by calling the Hampton Roads Appointment Center at 1-866-645-4584.

Pregnancy tests are offered to enrolled beneficiaries as follows:

• 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Mon-Fri
• 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. third Thu of the month
• Pregnancy tests are not given on holidays

Test results are generally ready in one hour or patients may complete consent to receive results via telephone.

For medication refills for Family Health Prime enrollees only call 757-314-7500 option 3, ext. 44000. For general referral information call 757-314-7500 prompt 3, prompt 1.

Telephone consults/telephone messages are used for referral questions, medication refills, and to leave a message if patient and/or parent needs to speak with a provider. Please allow 48 hours for referral and medication refill requests to be processed.

Well baby immunizations will be given per the Centers for Disease Control recommendations, in the Pediatric Clinic for those that have Well Baby appointments only. Other immunizations will be given in the Immunization Clinic.

EFMP enrollment is mandatory and required immediately upon identification of a family member with chronic health conditions and/or special needs. Dependents must be enrolled in your sponsor’s service-specific EFMP to receive benefits from TRICARE Extended Care Health Options (ECHO).

Yes. This is done through the EFMP office for family members located in the Disease Management Clinic.

The forms used to enroll, update or dis-enroll from EFMP are DD Form 2792 Medical Summary, DD From 2792-1 Special Education/Early Intervention Summary. These forms are available at Army Knowledge Online (AKO).

Patients need to be seen by their Primary Care Manager (PCM) within the last six months. Patients can call the refill line at 757-314-7500 option 3, ext. 44020 or they can personally bring the empty containers/bottles into the clinic for review and medication reconciliation. A member of your Health Care Team will request an appointment, should there be any medical concerns or questions; otherwise the prescription refill will be ready for pick up after 72 working hours at the Main Pharmacy. Patients will not receive a call from their Health Care Team unless there are concerns or questions regarding your medication.

Due to COVID-19 EKGs are booked by appointment only.  Beneficiaries can book appointments by calling 757-314-7500.

Please call 757-314-7500 option 3, ext. 44020 to refill your prescriptions.

Yes. These patients are required to bring in a hand written prescription.

Yes. Prescriptions are required for B12, Testosterone, Zostavax (Shingles) and Gardasil (HPV) shots.

No. PPDs are administered every day except Thursday.  Please Note: All female patient age 12 and above are required to have a pregnancy test prior to the administration of a live virus.

No. There are strict standards regarding internal control and physical integrity of allergy serum accountability we must adhere to.

No. The laboratory is not authorized to release lab results to patients; they are only authorized to release results to the ordering provider. During the appointment your provider may explain that he/she will contact you only if the test result is abnormal. If you would like the result, please contact the clinic. If you are a patient with a prescription for a lab test from a civilian provider, the results will be sent directly to the ordering provider. If the civilian provider has not received the results, you can contact the Release of Information office for assistance at 757-314-7868. 

Active duty service members desiring to participate in the weight management program can call 757-314-7612.

No referral is needed for Nurse Practitioner wellness appointments, i.e., annual exams, PAP smears, and/or evaluation for birth control. A referral is required to see a GYN Physician.

Pregnancy tests are offered to enrolled beneficiaries of McDonald Army Health Center in the Family Health Clinic as follows:

• 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Mon-Fri

• 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. third Thu of the month

• Pregnancy tests are not given on holidays.

Test results are generally ready in one hour or patients may complete consent to receive results via telephone.

Walk-in hours for patients who are currently taking birth control medication are from 7:30 - 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. To obtain a refill the patient must have documentation of a current Pap test (within one year) and have no existing medical problems. Your medical record will be reviewed, vital signs will be taken, and the prescription will be available for pick up at the Main Pharmacy the following business day

s are administered by appointment only. To schedule an appointment for your shot please call 757-314-7500 ext. 44040. Your medical record will be reviewed before we can administer the injection. Medical record must contain evidence of; Pap test; current order for Depo Provera; and date of last injection to include dose and injections site. Depo Provera orders written by healthcare Providers outside of McDonald Army Health Center must be reviewed and rewritten by a provider privileged within our Women’s Health Clinic. If the order needs to be reviewed and rewritten please call 1-866-645-4584 to schedule an appointment.

Lupron injections are administered by appointment only. To schedule an appointment for your injection please call 757-314-7500 ext. 44040. Your medical record must be reviewed before we can administer the Lupron injections. The medical record must contain the following documentation: date of last injection; dosage given; and injection site. The Lupron order must be written by a provider privileged within our health facility.

Copies of medical records, transferring of medical records, and requests for medical records are accomplished through the Release of Information office in Room M27. Patients must present in person for these services.

To have your Profile and/or Line of Duty documents processed, please take them to the Profile/LOD Office in room M33.

The Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) is a team-based model built around the premise that the best health care begins with a strong primary care foundation.

PCMH improves the care our patients receive by offering enhanced access to care and increased Primary Care Manager continuity, and by promoting patient-and family-centered evidence-based health care.

Patient Centered Medical Homes allow providers and patients to take a more proactive approach to health care, with a stronger focus on prevention. The medical home can reduce the percentage of specialty referrals and result in a PCMH team providing the needed care in one visit. The Patient Centered Medical Home model allows for better coordination of care and improved communication among team members and beneficiaries, while placing emphasis on preventive care and chronic care management, and empowering, patients to participate in their care plan.

There are multiple ways to receive care in the way that works best for you.

We have learned from our experience and listening to you, that both face-to-face and non-face-to-face encounters (virtual care) are needed.

Although some medical needs require an appointment, many things can be more conveniently coordinated using technology.

 

You can schedule an appointment for a same day issue or in the future with your PCM. Although we want to maximize your appointments with your PCM, if you need to be seen during a time when your provider isn't available, we'll get you in to see one of the providers on your team.

AMSMS allows you to directly contact your team through the web. Through this service, patients can initiate a web visit consultation, receive preventive care reminders, send a note to the provider’s office, request test results, and ask for prescription renewals. See your Medical Home team to get enrolled in secure messaging.

The MHS GENESIS Patient Portal provides access to a patient’s electronic health record (EHR) and contains their most current medical and dental information via a secure website. It connects the patient to their clinic or hospital’s health care team and is available anytime, anywhere with internet access. It provides a complete view of a patient’s, and their family’s, health records. 

The link below reflects local civilian locations providing the flu vaccine along with the age restrictions for each entity. TRICARE also has a link for civilian location where flu vaccine may be received at: https://www.tricare.mil/CoveredServices/IsItCovered/FluVaccine 

There is no co-pay if vaccine is administered by a civilian pharmacist or at the MTF. There will likely be a co-pay if the vaccine is administered in association with a provider visit. Please see the following link for more information: https://www.tricare.mil/CoveredServices/IsItCovered/FluVaccine

 

 It varies by state rules. We strongly encourage contacting the pharmacy prior to your visit to understand any restrictions they may have. 
 

 It varies by state rules. We strongly encourage contacting the pharmacy prior to your visit to understand any restrictions they may have. 
 

The flu can be a very serious and unpredictable illness. In the United States about 5 to 20 percent of the population will get the flu each year and, more than 20,000 people are hospitalized from flu-related complications. There are anywhere between 3,000 to 49,000 deaths from flu-related causes each year. (On average 23,600)
 

Flu usually occurs in the colder winter months of the year, in the U.S. the flu most commonly peaks in January and February. However, seasonal flu activity can begin as early as October and continue to occur as late as May depending on the weather and the flu viruses each year. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) conducts ongoing surveillance and testing of influenza viruses and track the flu season from October to May with weekly updates on their website.
 

The flu shot does not give you the flu. The “flu shot” (the injectable version) is an inactive or “dead” virus. Basically, it is like giving your body a wanted poster for the flu and saying “Keep an eye out for this virus and destroy it on sight.” It allows your body to make antibodies to the flu, which will help fight the virus if you come in contact with it. The flu mist is a live virus, but it is temperature regulated and cannot live in the body.
 
Most of the time when people get sick after receiving the flu vaccine, it is because they were infected with the flu prior to getting the vaccine. The flu vaccine is made up of three viruses; the selection of the viruses to be included in the seasonal flu vaccine is based on flu trends. The CDC selects the viruses that are circulating the globe the most, in order to provide the best possible protection.
 

You may not get sick, but getting the flu vaccine isn’t just to protect you. Getting the flu vaccine also helps to protect the people you care about. Usually a healthy person can fight off the flu with few to no symptoms. That doesn’t mean that you will pass it to someone that will be able to fight it off, like your children or grandparents. So even if you don’t get the flu vaccine, you should get it to protect the people you care about.
 

Flu vaccination is recommended for those six months and older. There are a few groups that should definitely get it; people 65 years and older, children that are younger than two years old and people that have chronic medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes, congestive heart failure, lung disease, just to name a few.
 

The flu vaccine will be available at your primary care clinic. If you are unable to get to your clinic, flu vaccine is also available, at no cost; at local off post TRICARE covered pharmacies.
 

The Defense Health Agency (DHA) - Immunization Healthcare Regional Office is available to assist patients and healthcare providers with consultation, diagnosis, evaluation and treatment of health problems after immunizations, VAERS reporting, and medical exemption assessment, if required.