Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

By law, the Defense Health Agency (DHA) must manage all military hospitals and clinics beginning 1 OCT 2018. The website transition is just one piece of this change. To learn more, visit www.health.mil/Transformation.

Call or visit your nearest urgent care facility if you have a non-life-threatening health issue. If you have a life-threatening health issue, call 911 immediately.

Call 911. 

If you're on base, let emergency dispatch know you're on Tinker AFB.

Call the Military Health System Nurse Advice Line at 1-800-874-2273, option 1, to speak to a registered nurse. Visit MHSNurseAdviceLine.com for web and video chat options.

No.

Acute appointments are available daily. Please call the appointment line at 405-734-2778 for availability.

RMC does not know the status of pharmacy prescriptions. The patient should call the appointment line at (405) 734-2778 and follow the options for Pharmacy, or visit the Pharmacy’s webpage for more information.

RMC does not schedule appointments. Once the patient is notified that his or her referral is processed, the patient can call the referred to facility or provider and schedule his or her appointment.

Patients should go to the Humana website (https://www.humanamilitary.com) or call 1-877-249-9179 ext. 1802007 to get an update on their referrals.

Most referral changes occur through contacting Humana Military by calling 1-877-249-9179 ext. 1802007. If the referral is for a Line of Duty issue or a referral for a specific provider then RMC can change it.

Humana Military is no longer sending hard-copy referrals via mail. Instead, patients are encouraged to call Humana Military at 1-877-249-9179 ext. 1802007 for information regarding their referrals.

We have a Women's Health Clinic that's open to active duty service members and beneficiaries without a referral, even if your PCM is off base.

The Women’s Health Clinic does not provide obstetric (Pregnancy/Labor and Delivery) services on base. A referral will be needed to receive these service off base and may be requested through your PCM.

The Women’s Health Clinic does not provide obstetric services. Please report to your nearest Emergency Department to be further assessed.

Not at this time. The Tinker Optometry Clinic only sees active duty patients. Other beneficiaries can call TRICARE (1-800-444-5445) for assistance to have an eye exam with a network provider.

Please call the appointment line at 405-734-2778 and follow the prompts to schedule a medical appointment.

Active duty patients can visit this website and put in their information to check on the status of their glasses:
https://srtsweb.amedd.army.mil/WebForms/Public/CheckOrderStatus.aspx

If patients have ordered glasses from the military in the past 24 months, they can re-order the same frame/prescription or an insert from the G-Eyes website.

*They will have to confirm their SSN/DOD ID# and a mailing address
*Frame of choice can only be ordered every 12 months and requires a routine eye exam
*At times, the site may be down or only available to deployed members
https://srtsweb.amedd.army.mil/WebForms/GEyes/Forms/GEyesHomePage.aspx

Purchasing contacts requires a specific contact lens prescription, which is different from the glasses prescription because it includes the brand, size and curvature of the contacts. An optometrist must examine the fit of a contact on a patient’s eye in order to prescribe it. Patients without a current contact lens prescription and contacts may require a contact fitting exam with a non-DoD provider – this is at the member’s expense, as it is not a TRICARE benefit, so no referral is needed. 

Tinker Optometry Clinic can only issue a contact lens prescription in 2 cases:

1. The patient is aircrew and is on the Aircrew Soft Contact Lens Program.

2. The patient is a habitual contact lens wearer. These patients must bring in their previous prescription (or contact boxes) and a pair of contacts to be examined on their eye during the routine annual eye exam.

**Contacts are not a TRICARE covered benefit. All patients, including aircrew, must purchase contact lenses as a personal expense from a civilian source.

1.  You need a “routine eye exam” with the optometrist within the past year. 

The optometrist will evaluate if your prescription, stability of your prescription, eye health history, medication use, and other health conditions to see if you may be a candidate for surgery. You may wear contacts to this exam.

1. If you are a potential surgery candidate--you will be given paperwork for your leadership and Commander to sign.
2. If you are not a potential surgery candidate--you will still have a routine eye exam completed and the doctor will explain the reasons you are not a candidate.
3. If you have already had a routine eye exam within 12 months, you can put in a telephone consult (405) 734-2778 or stop by the clinic to inquire if you qualify to get the surgery paperwork.

2. You must get the paperwork signed by your leadership, including your Squadron Commander or equivalent.
   1. Your paperwork must be signed to schedule the pre-operative exam.
   2. Call the Optometry Clinic phone number on your application paperwork or schedule the “surgery pre-op evaluation” in person (do not schedule through appointment line or TRICARE online)
3. You will have a second eye exam, the “surgery pre-operative evaluation.” 
   1. You must be out of contacts for 30 days prior to this exam
   2. You must bring your signed paperwork, all other paperwork will be completed at this exam and surgery info will be discussed.
   3. If you qualify for surgery, you will submit your application to the DoD Corneal Refractive Surgery Center after this exam. The final decision on surgery eligibility is made by the surgeon at the surgery center.

Additional requirements to schedule refractive surgery evaluation:
You must be 21 or older.
You must have at least 6 months on Active Duty Status (12 months for U.S. Navy personnel) from the date of surgery. 
You cannot be deploying within 6 months of the surgery pre-op evaluation exam.
You must be at least 6 months post-partum or post-breast feeding.

The Mental Health Clinic on Tinker AFB in the Medical Group (405-582-6603); Military Family Life Counselor (MFLC); Military One Source; Primary Care Behavioral Health (PCBH) (Call 405-734-2778 to make an appointment).

Mental Health sessions are confidential with the exception of safety concerns such as harm to self or others, and domestic violence. Additionally, flying status notes will be co-signed by the Flight Medicine Clinic. Patients may sign a release of information if they would like information shared with a designated individual or party.

After hours we encourage anyone seeking care for an emergency situation (imminent harm to self or others) to go to Oakwood Springs (405- 433-7106), SSM St. Anthony’s (405-272-6216), or Bethany Behavioral Health (405-792-5330).

Long term, career-ending impacts are very unlikely. If you’re placed on a new medication, for example, it can place you on a profile until you’ve reached stability. We recommend you discuss this in greater detail with your Mental Health professional.

In most cases members are cleared to deploy, go TDY or PCS as assigned.

It is very likely that going to ADAPT will have no long term effects on your career. If you are diagnosed with an Alcohol Use Disorder or a Substance Use Disorder you will be placed on a mobility waiver until you complete the program. Our goals is to have 100% of clients returned to duty.

• If a member self-refers to the ADAPT clinic, the members unit will not be notified if they do not receive a diagnosis

• If a member is medically referred to ADAPT, the members unit will not be notified if they do not receive a diagnosis

No, marijuana and CBD products have not been legalized at the federal level, therefore, the Air Force zero tolerance policy still applies.

The difference between these charges rely solely on the BAC of the person.
Driving While Impaired (DWI) = .05 - .07 BAC
Driving Under the Influence (DUI) = .08 BAC or above
Aggravated Drunk Driving = .15 BAC

No, that is handled by the Health and Wellness Center, (405) 734-6575.

12 oz. of beer, 5 oz. of wine, and 1.5 oz. of hard liquor equates to 1 drink respectively.

Many of our services are available to anyone with base access.  We can make referrals for services that we cannot offer directly to civilians or contractors.

We offer Family Advocacy Strength-Based Therapy (FAST) and Prevention and Relationship Enhancement Program (PREP), see the Mental Health Clinic’s page for more information.

You must be enrolled in TRICARE to utilize our services. For questions concerning TRICARE enrollment contact Tinker’s Health Benefits Advisors at (405) 582-6339 or (405) 582-6340.

We may provide off base referrals when necessary based on the needs of the client and the limitations of our clinic.

Yes, if they are on active duty orders.

Yes, but only through the duration of the pregnancy. There are community resources which may provide greater continuity.

From pregnancy until the youngest child is three years old.

If it is 30 miles or more from the base then the visit should be approved by Family Advocacy Officer (FAO).

For life-threatening medical concerns (life, limb, or eyesight), call 911 and/or go to the nearest Emergency Department. No referral is required for the ED; however, active duty service members require off-base referrals for ALL other off-base care, including urgent care visits. For urgent medical concerns, contact the TRICARE Nurse Advice Line at 1-800-TRICARE (874-2273), option 1, to confirm the next step. For non-urgent medical concerns, please send a secure message to your primary care team using the MHS GENESIS Patient Portal. Please do NOT use personal email to contact your primary care team.

For medical concerns lasting over 72 hours that need to be addressed on the same day, please call the 72nd MDG Appointment Line at 405-734-2778 to schedule an appointment with your primary care team. If no appointments are available, request to leave a message for your primary care team with a detailed explanation of your medical concerns. Your primary care team will address your medical concerns as soon as possible.

Emergency Departments do not require an off-base referral. Active Duty personnel require off-base referrals for ALL other off-base care (to include Urgent Care visits). Contact the 72 MDG (405-734-2778) or Tricare Nurse Advice Line (1-800-874-2273) to avoid being financially responsible for your urgent care visit.

Referrals for your off-base care need to be initiated by your Primary Care team. Depending on your medical concern, a face-to-face evaluation may be required prior to specialty evaluation and treatment off-base.
 
Once your provider has referred you for off-base, Humana Military can take up to 3 business days to process the referral. Please monitor through HumanaMilitary.com or call 1-800-444-5445 to track the approval of your off-base specialty care. Questions or concerns about your referral can be directed to Humana Military at 1-800-444-5445.

Flyers/controllers/PRAP can facilitate communication between their primary care providers and their off-base providers by having their medical records faxed to 405-736-2825 and/or by contacting the Flight Medicine Clinic.
 
For all other clinics, please request to have your medical records from ALL off-base care faxed to the 72nd MDG for inclusion into your medical record. Records can be faxed to the 72nd MDG at 405-736-2825.
 
You can access your medical records and laboratory results on the MHS GENESIS Patient Portal to share with your off-base providers. You can also request for records to be faxed to your specialist by the 72nd MDG Patient Administration at 405-736-2825.

If there are any concerns about your current referral, and you have NOT yet had a visit with your specialist, you can contact Humana Military directly to change the provider/facility to another local in-network provider. Contact Humana Military at 1-800-444-5445 to request a change. You are able to request a specific local provider who accepts your insurance if you would prefer. 

Please contact the Health Benefits Advisor at (405) 582-6339/6340 to address billing issues. Your primary care team does not have the authorization to resolve billing concerns. Questions or concerns about your referral can be directed to Humana Military at 1-800-444-5445.

Convalescent leave is approved for 3-30 days at a time by your primary care provider based on medical necessity. Each service has different “con leave” requirements; regardless, communication is necessary between your off-base specialist and your primary care team. Please contact your primary care team for the necessary coordination no later than five duty days before your surgery/procedure date. The preferred communication with your primary care team for these requests is via the MHS GENESIS Patient Portal.
 
If less than three days of convalescent leave is indicated, communication is still necessary between your off-base specialist and your primary care team. Your provider may authorize quarters for up to 72 hours.

IAW AFI 41-210, “Unit commanders and supervisors have the authority to grant up to 24 hours sick status at their discretion if a member’s illness/injury does not require MTF intervention.” Communication with your immediate supervisor is recommended; and if you expect to require urgent “MTF intervention,” please contact the 72 MDG Appointment Line (405) 734-2778 to schedule an acute appointment and/or leave a telephone consult for your primary care team. Your primary care team may enter up to 72 hour quarters into ASIMS if clinically indicated.

Base Operational Medical Clinic (BOMC), is located within the Flight Medicine clinic and is the primary contact for medical clearances, PHAs/MHAs, deployment assessments, separation physicals, and retraining packages. The best way to communicate with BOMC is via their own organizational box on TRICARE Online Secure Messaging (https://www.tricareonline.com/tol2/prelogin/desktopIndex.xhtml). If you need additional assistance you can contact the Flight & Operational Medicine Clinic front desk (405) 582-6610.

Profiles may take a couple of days for the necessary review/signatures to be finalized throughout the MDG. Please contact your primary care provider if there is an issue with your profile in ASIMS.

If your medication was entered by a provider at the 72nd MDG, please activate your medication by calling the 72nd MDG appointment line at 405-734-2778. The medication will be ready for pickup the next business day after noon. If the medication was entered during a face-to-face visit, your medication may be available for activation before you leave your appointment.
 
Off-base prescriptions can be faxed/called-in/dropped off at the 72nd MDG.

You can also use our Q-Anywhere service; just text 'Get in Line' to 1-877-460-2335 to activate your prescriptions and get notified when ready for pickup.

Please have your off-base pharmacy contact the 72 MDG pharmacy at (405) 582-6325 and the prescription can be transferred by the 72 MDG pharmacy staff.  Some restrictions apply.

Our preferred communication between you and your primary care team is via TRICRAE Online Secure Messaging (https://www.tricareonline.com/tol2/prelogin/desktopIndex.xhtml). Our goal is to respond to you within 24 hours, and we will work diligently to resolve your medical concerns within 72 hours. Please do not use TRICARE Online for emergent/urgent concerns.
 
Additionally, you can contact the 72 MDG Appointment Line (405) 734-2778 to schedule an appointment or leave a message for your medical team. Lastly, you can stop by your preferred clinic’s front desk to schedule an appointment and/or leave a detailed message of your concern. We will work diligently to resolve your medical concerns within 72 hours.
 
Please note the TricareOnline Patient Portal is the go-to location to schedule appointments, refill your medication, and review your medical records/labs.

Beneficiary Care Clinic, Active Duty Care (non-flyers), Pediatrics, and the Women's Health Clinic.

In an effort to minimize patient and staff exposure to COVID -19, we have implemented measures to adhere to social distancing guidelines. As a result, pharmacy transactions must be conducted at the drive-thru.

Due to guidance from the Defense Health Agency, Base leadership, and our Public Health team, it is critically important to limit the volume of patients in the building at any given time.

Pharmacy staff will direct you to a numbered parking spot, and your medications will be delivered to your vehicle.

By directing patients to drive-thru overflow, we are limiting traffic backup in an attempt to provide service in a timelier manner.

All prescriptions must be activated by the patient, once called in by the doctor. The pharmacy staff is not aware of the doctor’s order until being notified by the patient. To activate, call (405) 582-6315, opt 2, opt 2, or request online via Secure Messaging.

Below are some helpful ways to decrease your wait at the pharmacy. 

1. Avoid peak hours for pharmacy services from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (lunch hours), days following a holiday weekend, and the Thursday and Friday following a training day (third Wednesday of the month).
   a. Only enter the drive-thru line if your prescriptions are ready for pick-up.
   1.  
2. Use secure messaging to contact pharmacy staff instead of calling the main pharmacy number unless you need immediate assistance with your prescriptions.
3. Utilize the drop-box at the front of the 72nd MDG to turn in hard copy prescriptions. Drop box is available for use only during business hours.
4. You can also use our Q-Anywhere prescription service. Just text text 'Get in Line' to 1-877-460-2335 to activate your prescriptions and get notified when they're ready for pickup.