VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- The Department of Defense continually makes improvements to the overall welfare of military personnel, recently making critical healthcare easier to access online.
One of these many updates has been to improve the interface of the TRICARE Online Patient Portal.
“The TRICARE Online Patient Portal’s purpose is to provide 24 hour, 7 days a week access to your healthcare record and needs,” said Capt. Aubrey Reid, 30th Aerospace Operational Medicine flight commander.
With room to improve, TRICARE Online has refurbished its usability to fit into the current online climate.
“TRICARE online has been out for quite a while now but it has become a lot more user friendly in the last year and a half,” said Capt. Mindy Leake, 30th Family Health Clinic nurse manager. “It is now straight forward, and has more accessories for managing health needs.”
These adaptations have come from the overall goal of improving communication between the patient and care provider.
“Healthcare literacy is a huge push right now. It used to be all about whether a patient understood English, will they be able to read the instructions left by their provider, but that has changed,” said Reid. “Healthcare literacy is now about if a patient knows how to access their health care, do they know where to go when they need healthcare, and this tool is going to help increase people’s healthcare literacy.”
With all of these improvements, TRICARE online is available for the benefit of most here on base.
“Anyone who has a healthcare provider here can sign up,” said Leake. “For example retirees, dependents, and active duty military can sign up with either a Common Access Card or a Department of Defense Identification Card.”
For further information, contact your healthcare provider or visit www.TRICAREonline.com.