TRICARE appointments available online

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Heather Stanton
  • 49th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  It is now easier to get an appointment at the 49th Medical Group with appointment scheduling online at www.tricare.com. 

Appointments online have been around for a while, said Maj. Winston Massey, 49 MDG group practice manager. 

Routine and acute appointments in the family practice, internal medicine and pediatrics clinics can be made online. 

TRICARE online can be used from any personal computer or laptop with Internet connection. To schedule an appointment, the user only needs to register and log in. 

"TOL lets the patient take charge of their own heath care," said Major Massey. "The patient gets to pick how urgent the problem is and choose from the available appointments when to come in." 

In TOL, the appointments that show up on the user's screen are the same appointments the appointment call-in line has available, but can be accessed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. 

"It's the convenience factor," said Lt. Col. James Clapsaddle, 49th Medical Support Squadron commander. "Even though statistics show our appointment lines are faster than most in the Air Force, TOL is still faster. TOL users see a calendar on their screen with numerous open opportunities and they simply pick the one they want." 

Colonel Clapsaddle thinks TOL will make patients happier with their appointments. 

"When patients pick their own appointment times, they seem more likely to keep the appointment," he said. 

For questions or more information on the TOL appointment scheduler, please call Major Massey at 572-7320.