Reserve opens liaison desk in DGMC

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Madelyn Brown
  • 349th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  The 349th Aerospace Medicine Squadron celebrated the grand opening of the Reserve Component Liaison desk March 23, 2015, located on the second floor of David Grant USAF Medical Center, at the first window of the Patient Services Center.

The new liaison desk is designed to solve medical billing problems and eligibility confusion Reservists previously faced in the active-duty health care system. Tech. Sgt. Nicole Nagle, 349th AMDS Reserve Component Liaison, will act as the centralized point of knowledge for any Reservist receiving medical care in DGMC.

"Many Reservists were not properly informed of their entitlements, and thought they could come in on a rescheduled Unit Training Assembly and be seen for medical issues to which they were not entitled," Nagle said.

Service members who unknowingly received medical care without the appropriate status were liable for the medical bills, said Senior Master Sgt. Helena McGhee, 349th AMDS squadron superintendent. 

The Reserve Component Liaison replaces a resource-consuming process with a streamlined system for Reservists to complete their medical appointments, McGhee said. 

"Previously, Reservists would have to come to the 349th AMDS in Bldg. 239 to verify eligibility and received a signed memorandum authorizing care, then drive back up to DGMC with the memo to receive the care," she said. 

Now, Reservists seeking medical care at DGMC will be able to visit Nagle at the Reserve Component Liaison desk, have their eligibility clarified, check in, schedule an appointment, check out and schedule follow up care.

"This is a step in the direction of bridging the gap and maintaining a continuity of care," said Master Sgt. Delmora Holman-McCelndon, 349th AMDS Health Service Administrator. "Now we have that visibility of when patients are going to the hospital and when they are receiving follow up care, which we didn't have previously."

Because units will now know exactly when members need to be placed on orders for medical appointments, they will have the visibility to better plan and budget, McGhee said.

"The Reserve Component Liaison is important because it will help alleviate frustration on active duty members because they're not always familiar with Reserves statuses or which entitlements coincide with those statuses," Nagle said. "This will be beneficial to both sides and it's definitely good to have a presence in DGMC."

The Reserve Component Liaison desk is currently operational and open the following hours: 7 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Wednesday hours are from 1 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. Reservists may call the desk at 707-423-7781.