MiCare comes to Altus AFB Published March 27, 2013 By Senior Airman Dillon Davis 97th Air Mobility Squadron Public Affairs ALTUS AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- The newly implemented MiCare program allows patients of Air Force medical treatment facilities (MTF) to communicate securely with their healthcare providers from almost anywhere and at any time. MiCare will help to streamline communications between patients and healthcare providers to improve the timeliness and quality of healthcare. "All eligible enrollees to the 97th Medical Group are encouraged to sign up and start using MiCare as soon as possible," said Capt. Aimee Safford, 97th MDG practice manager. The program is intended to mutually benefit the patients and the medical group with fast responses to a multitude of questions and requests. In an article by Air Force Surgeon General Public Affairs posted 14 Feb. 2013, Lt. Gen. (Dr.) Charles B. Green, Air Force Surgeon General said "MiCare will make routine health care more convenient for our patients, while reducing unnecessary visits to the MTF, thus freeing up our providers to see more acute patients. This is an important goal in Air Force Patient-Centered Medical Home." Patients will be able to: · Communicate privately with their healthcare team online without waiting in phone trees or playing phone tag · Ask their healthcare team for advice about non-urgent symptoms · Receive medical test and lab results · Request medication renewals · Request a copy of immunization records · Access physician-approved health resource links at their convenience The healthcare professionals will be able to: · Appointment reminders · Follow up on a condition without requiring a trip to the MTF · Medication alerts/refill information · Medical test and referral results · Notifications regarding flu vaccinations, school and sports physicals, MTF closure dates, etc. Patients must register with their MTF to have an account created. For more information, visit www.afms.af.mil/MiCare or contact the 97th MDG at 481-5235.