The Navy is in the planning stages of a pilot program that would put corpsmen-led clinics in commissaries around the country.
The 38th surgeon general of the Navy, Vice Adm. C. Forrest Faison III discussed this idea of revamping Navy medicine to mimic walk-in clinics at large retailers at the conference of the Association of Military Surgeons of the United States last month.
“We’re in the early stages of discussing a pilot program that would develop corpsmen-led clinics that might be in our commissaries or in our exchanges, connected by telemedicine to doctors at the hospital,” Faison said in an interview with the San Diego Union-Tribune. “So if you’re a patient, while you’re in the commissary you can get your health-care needs met by a corpsman, and that corpsman is getting the opportunity to keep his skills up.
“More importantly, because he’s the guy there, he’s developing the confidence he’s going to need to save lives on the battlefield — but in a structured way that we’re providing good, safe health care using telemedicine links to experienced physicians in the rear.”
The Navy is planning to have the first medical clinic at a commissary in Jacksonville, Fl. The details of this clinic including if patients would be required to have an appointment haven’t been announced yet. The Navy also hasn’t announced what type of medical care would be offered at this clinic. DeCA hasn’t said if its organization is in support or even interested in this pilot program.
Yet, despite the lack of specifics, I’m strongly in favor of this pilot program. I hope this concept is implemented at Jacksonville and then replicated at military installations around the country.
Here are 4 situations when I would have jumped at the convenience of a medical clinic at my commissary.
The Overseas Medical Screening Process
I was overjoyed when we found out that the Navy was relocating us to Japan. But before I could get excited about learning the traditions of a tea ceremony, I had to first work my way (and I say work because it felt like a full-time job) through the system of the overseas medical screening process. This process is very detailed and may require multiple trips to your medical clinic.
Imagine if the medical clinic at the commissary had an overseas screening day where you could come in with your medical history and vaccination records and then get your overseas medical screening efficiently completed. Once you’re done with that short appointment, you could stroll into the commissary and pick up some sushi for lunch.
Flu Shots for the Entire Family
Every fall it’s the same thing. Time to make your appointment to get your flu shot at your medical clinic. It would be super convenient have a flu shot walk-in clinic at a medical clinic at the commissary. I could take my children and we could get our flu shots before doing our weekly grocery shopping.
The 0730 Fight for a Parking Space
Finding a parking space at a medical clinic can be…well exhausting. There never seems to be enough parking spaces for the patients on any given day.
The commissary’s parking lot is spacious. Let’s take advantage of that ample parking by moving a clinic to it.
Immediate Medical Care That Doesn’t Involve Broken Bones
As a mom, I know when my child has an ear infection.
I know when she has pink eye.
I know when she has strep throat.
In all of these cases, she needs immediate medical care but our military treatment facility may not have any same-day appointments available so I take her to the emergency room. I would love to see a medical clinic in the commissary that operates as an urgent care clinic.
Right now, we don’t have the details of the Navy’s proposal to put a medical clinic in a commissary. But I think there are a lot of potential benefits. I would use it if it was available to my family. Would you?
I think that it is a great idea. If an Rx is needed.,how will the veteran get it?
I think it is a fantastic idea and needed to happen 10 years ago.
That is a great idea. Where is the medication coming from? When ever we call our local military pharmacy, they try to get us to do Express Scripts. Wait 14 days for meds when you have an infection. I don’t think so. This is important and needs to be addressed too.
Yes, I would consider this if the facility was within a decent driving distance.
That sounds like a nice idea. Would they also, treat Veterans with Commissary and Exchange priveleges?
Yes
Yes like a pharmacy minute clinic. A convince that would b welcomed. Or even in the “mall” area of the BX complex would be super too for the less urgent that ties up er
Honestly, I don’t think that would be an appropriate place to see sick people. Why in heaven’s name would one allow germs around the foods that we have to eat?
I can’t see anything good coming of that idea. smh
i would think that you could find a better place than the commissary for sick/ill people to go for care maybe a theater, or some other p!ace with a large parking area an old px/bx
I think it is an idea well worth pursuing!
As a former Army medical member the idea of a clinic in the commissary sounds great. The medical personal would receive experience in a broad area of patients and an outpatient clinic in the store would be very convienent. It would also be in line with civilian clinics in major stores. Imagine if someone was taken sick or injured in the store and assistance was already there the time saved for a patient needing resussitation or treatment would be greatly shortened. The current option is to do it the slow way of calling for help, then waiting for an ambulance and then traveling to where ever the hospital is. That would result in more suffering while the patient waits with maybe no help at all. In combat the medic is there and lives are saved.
I think it would be an amazing opportunity for everybody and then you can go whenever you needed to and you’re there anyway to get groceries I think it would be great good idea! 🙂
NO
I think it’s a good idea, I would use it.
I would definitely go to a clinic in the commissary if it meant I could get in faster than what it takes right now. Sounds like a good idea to me.
As a place to get a shot, I would have no problem with that. I really do not want to have to be around people who have infectious diseases around my food sources. Convenience is nice but this going a little too far, at least in CONUS.
The idea has my support. I’m retired Air Force. Being in New Mexico, the VA facility I’m supposed to use is in Albuquerque. Over 300 miles North. There is a local VA facility here in town, but any specialized treatment is taken care of in Albuquerque. I have opted to go to El Paso, TX, about 85 miles south, but they do not coordinate with the local facility. I totally support being able to obtain medical support locally.
What an inventive idea! However, the only concern I would have would be the patients privacy. The concept does have merit, especially if the commissary hours are extended, and a secured area was constructed for the exams.
I do think that the exchange venue would be a better alternative, however. If the idea realy “took off”, it would be another step in the right direction. They are found within the military communities, and usually have longer operating hours. They’re also less crowded than the commissary and the exchange. Furthermore, it could be an easier program to implement, if you began with a few shoppettes around the country. It’s unlikely that the corpsmen would be deluged with patients, especially if more than one shoppette in the community is staffed.
The commissary is for food. Medicare should be in a facility by itself. Pretty soon we’ll want to put a tennis court
in the commissary. There is a military shop, so why not a small medicare shop. I would still like someone to tell
me why I have to pay so much out of my social security for medicare, for people who don’t work and aren’t even from this country. Might be different if Congress had to pay medicare and health payments too. Everything is free for them. So they don’t worry about it. It’s not their money going to people who know how to work the system. That’s why they spend millions for trying to be elected again.
I think it would be a GREAT idea. It could cut down the use of the E. R., especially on weekends, for those runny noses, colds, sinus aches, etc that many times plague the waiting rooms. The E R personnel could concentrate on true emergencies Yes having the flu shots at the commissary in the fall could help insure people would be up to date especially if there are short waiting lines. Many times the lines in the hospital or clinic are long and the kids really can be unruly.
Sometimes when people are feeling sick they can’t get in to see their primary provider for a week or weeks and don’t feel its an emergency but really do need to be seen now. (that funny feeling they have and it’s really a small stroke or heart attack ) the commissary clinic could be a big asset . .
I’m not sure putting people with possible infectious diseases such as colds and flus would be a great thing to link up with commissaries . If the buildings were separate perhaps but even then at peak times it’s difficult to get into the parking lot just to shop.
Iwould not go to the commissary for medical in fact I would quit going to the commissary because ity is crowded enough now without the traffic if sick people
Most definitely i woud visit an IDC at the commisary and in the field. They are highly trained and routine medical care will help them maintain their skills while not in battle and allow them.to hone basic medical screening techniques. As pointed oit by the author this will also male more appts available and parking becomes a breeze. I would however warn the screening for the appts much be stringent as there are limits to what can be handled in a stand alone clinic. Awesome idea, i cant wait to see this come to fruition!
That might work, in some areas, but would that be open to retired personal ? Also where would the space come from, If most Commissary are like what we have in JRB Fort Worth there is just enough space for commissary, let a lone locating a clinic there. Who would staff it ? Would it be a walking in ?
For me l would say no.. Only because there is enough sicknes already going around to have to be in it at the Comm.. Colds are number one that are so easily spread, flul bugs are worst. Unless you plan on putting it so far out of the way of the shoppers, and in our Comm. there isn’t any room not without taking something out. Then on the other hand it might be good if you can pick up small stuff like cold packs. Which l know they dont have anymore but we can still get cough syrup and certain little things at the Pharm. that you dont have to have a pers. for..
NO !!!!.
DECA NEEDS to weed out the dead wood and FIX the commissary’s,WAY toooooo many supervisors and not enough workers.
We went to DAFB commissary for case lot sale AND some items in cases cost more$$$ than same amount of cans OFF THE SHELF.
WHEN,I brought this to managements attention I was told “YOU HAVE TO BE A GOOD SHOPPER”.
This is typical !! and NOT acceptable.
Most, if working for me would STAY HOME.
good idea for people with children but bad for those that arent sick.
leave the mini clinics to CVS type places etc. and regular military clinics for visits.
commissary should be for food.
I think it has it’s good points and negative points, as if you are going to treat sick people with the flu or colds, I think that is certainly a negative as the sneezing and coughing with healthy customers in the commissary. You will be doing nothing but spreading the germs on food and one person to another. As for as flu shots, great or minor scrapes and cuts, great. But, sick kids and adults, I really don’t think that’s a good idea what so ever.
I am a concern person who uses the commissary 90% of the time and would be lost with out it and I certainly do not appreciate having off brand name foods replacing the brand names. they are getting nothing but more water, stalks, what ever they can put in there that isn’t near the quality as the name brand is.
Thanks and I worked for doctors most of my working career and only can tell you, this will happen with the colds, there is enough of that in the commissary during the cold and flu months as it is.
Judy
I would use this service, so would e delighted for this plan of use in my commissary
A outside of the box great idea.. as a separate little office.. in or near.. outstanding.
In my opinion, this is crazy! They want to raise prices on the food, basically taking away servicemembers’ benefit and we’re supposed to be ok with this????’? I am NOT ok with it!
Yes, I probably would. My husband is a retired Independent Duty Corpsman. He served 22 years. I am very happy with my current family physician (he’s a retired Army physician).
Excellent idea and would be a great training tool for medics
Ridiculous
I dont want to shop with sick patrons, think of the exposure factor!
Sounds good
This sounds like a good idea. Use of military resources instead of the civilian clinic on the corner. Under certain circumstances I could certainly see using such a facility like a sick call operation.
I am all for it, as long as the base hospitals and clinics maintain operations with full services as now.
In fact, why not do this for all Armed Services installations DOD-wide?
Yes, it would be very convenient.
Yes I would definitely go to a clinic at the commissary. Save me time and get shopping all at one time.
I -as a Senior- do not like the idea of medicine and food at the same place.
There are enough people at the commissiary and dealing with isles and two way traffic (in the narrow isles) is difficult enough.
If a building is completely separate but close, it would be a different matter.
I have tried to get a flu shot on base and the hours were not good.
Y E S outstanding I pray Scott Air Force Base to adopt this N O W CW3 Harris USA Retired
I’m definitely in favor of this idea. For a flu shot, we could avoid going to an outside pharmacy and filling out a lot of paperwork to prove Tricare. BUT, if the clinic takes up too much space, will DECA reduce the amount of products in the commissary? Vicks inhalers are no longer available as they once were. I’m referring to the Navy commissaries in San Diego.
a clinic at the commissary would be such a convenience……living in a state & city (cape Canaveral fl) with a lot of military retirees a clinic would be great…people come from all the nearby cities to the exchange & commissary at PAFB..sure they would appreciate a clinic also.
Great idea.
Would this clinic be available for disabled vets, too?
Great idea for routine requirements, i.e., eye , blood pressure, glucose checks.
YES!!!!!
I probably would not use such a facility unless I had a medical emergency in or near a commisary. This is a waste of money and staffpower.
Sounds like a good idea!
Yes, it is a good idea, and yes I would go.
I think it a great idea! And I would use it whenever it is practical to do so.
jeanneree@msn.com
Jeanne Poff
I THINK IT IS A GREAT IDEA AND I WOULD USE IT WHENEVER I COULD!
JEANNE POFF
JEANNEREE@MSN.COM
I do not want to shop for food where a large number of sick people have gathered. Located adjacent to the commissary would probably be helpful to many, but don’t put it inside where there is already a large number of people and foods items.
Yes, I think it is a great idea.
No way too many ill people already out in public last thing I want is to be add to it or be around more
Very bad idea