Tips on making medical appointments at 412th MDG Published Jan. 22, 2014 By 412th Medical Group EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Scheduling a medical appointment with a healthcare provider can sometimes be a frustrating task for patients. Whether its long hold times due to high call volume or the inability to get an appointment that meets the patient's needs in a timely manner, frustration can sometimes carry over to the appointment resulting in patient dissatisfaction. The 412th Medical Group team wants every beneficiary to have a positive experience and that experience begins with the appointment process. The 412th MDG appointment line, (661) 277-7118, operates from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. on duty days. Appointment line hold times are impacted by a number of factors to include call volume and staffing levels. Appointment line call volumes vary based on the time of day, as well as the day of the week. The highest call volume occurs between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. where approximately 40-50 percent of the daily call volume occurs during this three-hour period. During this period, hold times can average up to 2 to 3 minutes, with longer hold times frequently occurring on the first duty day following a holiday weekend or Monday training day. During known peak call hours, the 412th MDG makes every effort to keep hold times as short as possible to include dedicating additional staff to the appointment desk. Beneficiaries requiring urgent care after hours, or on weekends or holidays, are encouraged to call the Nurse Advice Line at (866) 535-4137. Interested in shorter hold times on the phone? Call when others are not. So, what is the best time to call the appointment line? Call during non-peak hours. If you are calling to schedule, cancel or verify an appointment that is not for the same day, calling later in the day will lead to shorter hold times. Currently, hold times average 1-2 minutes between the hours of 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. daily. Our appointment line personnel are dedicated to ensuring you have a positive healthcare experience while keeping the wait times at a minimum. They will work with you to find the best appointment option in the most efficient manner. We believe your time is valuable and should not be wasted on the phone making an appointment. Want more flexibility in managing medical appointments? TRICARE Online affords our beneficiaries the opportunity to book their own appointment. Every beneficiary enrolled at the 412th MDG is eligible for a TRICARE Online account. TRICARE Online is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and allows beneficiaries to schedule appointments and cancel or view booked appointments online. Most appointments with a primary care manager can be made at TRICARE Online. Please visit www.tricareonline.com for more information or to register for an account. While TRICARE Online is the best web-based option for booking your own appointments, did you know you can assist in the management of other aspects of your care using MiCare? On MiCare, patients can request appointments with healthcare providers, get test results, request prescription refills, or ask their healthcare team medical questions via a secure electronic message that bypasses phone-trees, voicemail, and phone tag. To register, patients should visit the 412th MDG to initiate the face-to-face registration process. Patients will need to show their military identification card and provide basic information such as name, social security number, birthday, and email address. An email from the provider team will be sent to the email address provided by the patient. The patient completes the registration by following the directions within the email. Once registered, please visit https://app.relayhealth.com to utilize MiCare today. The 412th MDG is committed to creating an environment of world class health care that is patient-centered and customer-focused. If you have any questions, concerns or comments, please contact the 412th MDG Patient Advocate at (661) 275-2698.