Pharmacy “Get in Line”

  • Published
  • By Michael J. Hasenauer
  • 57th Wing Public Affairs

Nellis AFB Pharmacy patrons have enjoyed the text-to-activate service since 2022 and have been able to significantly reduce wait times at both the Satellite Pharmacy and the Main Pharmacy inside the Mike O'Callaghan Military Medical Center.

Prescriptions can be activated by texting the words "GET IN LINE" to 833-653-4575 once a healthcare provider sends an electronic prescription to the Pharmacy.

"Incorporating remote pharmacy check-in allows individuals to quickly activate prescriptions with a simple text from their mobile phones," stated U.S. Air Force Maj. Crystal Hilaire, chief of outpatient pharmacy services. “This new check-in process easily saves our patients 2 hours or more of waiting in the pharmacy lobby to activate and receive their medications. With the new system, patients can remotely activate their prescriptions and only wait 5-10 minutes to pick up their medication once it is filled.”

This service has eliminated the need for in-person or phone-based waiting periods and facilitated same-day prescription activation and pickup.

"The Nellis AFB Pharmacy activation program represents the newest DHA pharmacy advancement designed to streamline prescription processing and to be customer-centered," said Maj. Hilaire. “We send roughly 126,000 text messages per month to our customers and were the 8th highest utilizer of the “text to activate” feature within the entire Department of Defense for the month of July 2023.”

After sending the initial “GET IN LINE” message, the system will prompt the user for the 10-digit Department of Defense Identification Number of the patient seeking the prescription. This will prompt pharmacy staff to begin working on the prescriptions, resolving any drug or allergy interactions, and contacting the provider, if necessary.  A text message containing information will be sent if there are any problems and/or once the medication is ready for pickup. Requests submitted prior to 2 p.m. will be processed and available for pickup by 5 p.m. on the same duty day.

Patients with questions may still call the Pharmacy Call Center at 702-653-2272, option 4, option 1, then option 3.

“It's important to note that Nellis’ “text to activate” feature focuses solely on activating new prescriptions and doesn't handle prescription refills,” said Maj. Hilaire. “Activation of prescriptions is restricted to duty hours, and will be processed on a first come, first serve basis.”

Refill requests must be made through the automated refill line at 702-652-5359, and will typically be ready for pickup in 3 duty days at the Satellite Pharmacy.

This is just one of the ways the Mike O’Callaghan Military Medical Center is demonstrating the motto of, “Our mission. Your care.”

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