I hear you loud and clear!

I would like to take a moment to address the amount of time that you have to wait at our pharmacy.

Since becoming commanding officer of Naval Health Clinic Corpus Christi eight months ago I have focused on improving overall patient satisfaction, particularly in the pharmacy.

Each of our pharmacies at Naval Health Clinic Corpus Christi, Naval Branch Health Clinics Kingsville and Fort Worth are faced with unique challenges related to location, personnel, infrastructure and population served. But the common denominator is excessive wait time.

I realize that your overall satisfaction with our pharmacy services is in great part relative to the amount of time you have to wait, from the moment you check-in using the new Q-flow system until you are handed your prescription.

One of the key challenges that we faced this year was the usual increase in cold symptoms, as well as a tough flu season with an earlier start, which meant a longer flu season during which more people got sick. That cause and effect relationship increased the pharmacy workload from an average of 600 prescriptions per day to over 1,000.

Naturally, increased prescription demand requires extra time to process.

To make up for the additional time, we increased staff, offset breaks and lunch periods during peak patient flow, and relocated the pharmacy drop box to a more accessible location.

We are also collaborating with other pharmacies like San Antonio Military Medical Center to benchmark many of the best practices that could speed up your prescription delivery without sacrificing safety, counseling and medication reconciliation.

Interestingly, many of the improvements we continue to incorporate result from the input you provide via the Interactive Customer Evaluation (ICE) system. I read each comment, and if you leave your contact information, myself or a representative from pharmacy will contact you personally to either get more information or to provide you with feedback.

With your continued help we pledge to do everything possible to speed up delivery of your prescriptions.

Beginning immediately we will enhance communication by providing regular pharmacy updates, “Pharmacy Corner” on our social media page: www.facebook.com/nhccc/

Besides useful information about peak times in our pharmacy, services, and options on how to get your prescriptions refilled or even initiated, the “Pharmacy Corner” will afford you with the opportunity to comment or make suggestions.

And if you don’t use social media, but you would like the information via e-mail, simply provide your e-mail address to: usn. corpuschristi.navhlthclinccitx.list.corp-public-affairs@mail.mil and we will take care of the rest.

Lastly, our Patient Advocacy Center always welcomes your ICE comments or suggestions: http://ice.disa.mil/index.cfm?fa=site&site_id=1122&dep=DoD

Thank you for allowing us to serve you, and you have my sincere appreciation for your patience and for the input you provide.