Fresh paint, new patient-care perspective at Monroe Health Clinic

FORT HOOD, Texas – After almost a year of providing healthcare in temporary buildings in a parking lot, the staff and providers at Monroe Health Clinic officially reopened their doors last Thursday to showcase a newly updated and patient-friendly facility.

The clinic, which cost approximately $9 million to renovate, now houses about 40 clinicians and 20 nurses and administrative support staff who provide health care to approximately 17,000 patients from all four 1st Cavalry Division brigades.

Physical renovations aren’t the only change at Monroe though. The new layout and design allowed the staff to implement the Army Medical Command patient centered medical home concept of care, Dr. Joan Ingram, the Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center chief of family and community medicine, said.

“The transformation is truly amazing. Before the renovations the clinic had an archaic design that was appropriate to the past and the way we used to provide care, but it didn’t support the Army’s new approach to care,” she said. “The new design will really allow for more patient privacy and promote the team-care model which will ultimately improve our patients’ healthcare experiences.”

Monroe is the latest CRDAMC clinic to implement the patient centered medical home provider team concept that helps improve access to care and standardize clinical operations across the medical center. Each team includes providers, behavioral health professionals, nurses, case managers and pharmacists who work together to develop a comprehensive, personal healthcare plan for each patient.

Soldiers who receive care at Monroe Clinic, like Pfc. Dameika Braswell, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, are pleased with the updated atmosphere and new patient-centered approach to care.

“The care we received in the trailers was good, but the buildings didn’t have a good vibe. This clinic is brighter and more spacious. It looks better, and people are more into what they are doing now. I think it’s because they like their surroundings,” she said.

Three community-based medical homes in Harker Heights, Copperas Cove and Killeen opened off-post in the last year. These clinics, which also follow the medical home concept of care, treat TRICARE Family members who live in those areas.

CRDAMC leaders received very positive reviews for the new care model, and eventually all clinics will transition to the medical home concept in order to better serve the beneficiaries who live in the Fort Hood area, Col. Patrick Sargent, the medical center commander, said.

“CRDAMC is working very hard to enhance our patients’ healthcare experiences by providing superior medical care; thoughtful and sensitive attention during every encounter; and regular and consistent communications before, during and after every visit,” he said. “I am confident that our efforts will help to promote a culture of trust and ultimately improve provider and patient relationships throughout the medical center. The health and welfare of our Soldiers, Families and Retirees are too important to allow anything less than excellence every time they are touched by the CRDAMC system of healthcare.”

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After 10 months and $9 million in renovations, Monroe Health Clinic officially reopened and is prepared to provide care for approximately 17,000 1st Cavalry Division Soldiers (Photo by Brandy Gill, CRDAMC Public Affairs).

Soldiers sit in the main waiting room at Monroe Health Clinic Thursday, May 31, 2012, while waiting for prescriptions or appointments. The newly renovated facility was designed to follow the Patient Centered Medical Home model of care and now provides many services on sight including, behavioral health care, x-rays, labs and pharmacy (Photo by Brandy Gill, CRDAMC Public Affairs).

Colonel Patrick Sargent, CRDAMC commander, talks to Ms. Charlene Smiley, a medical support administrator at Monroe Health Clinic which officially reopened following renovations May 31, 2012 (Photo by Brandy Gill, CRDAMC Public Affairs).

Colonel Patrick Sargent, CRDAMC commander, talks to Pfc. Navarre Mitchell, a 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division. Soldier, and Ms. Charlene Smiley, a Monroe medical support administrator as Capt. Donald Pitcock looks on. The clinic staff celebrated reopening the clinic May 31, 2012, after 10 months of renovations (Photo by Brandy Gill, CRDAMC Public Affairs).

Capt. Donald Pitcock, the Monroe Health Clinic head nurse, simulates chest compressions on Spc. Donald Mac Clary while Spc. Andrew Kluever simulates assisted breathing during a mock code at the newly remodeled clinic. Mock codes are performed to ensure the staff and facilities are prepared in case of any medical emergencies (Photo by Brandy Gill, CRDAMC Public Affairs).