By Dan BarberPublic Affairs OfficerRobert E. Bush Naval Hospital

Patients of the Robert E.Bush Naval Hospitalhave now been cared forin its clinics using the

Medical Home Team model formore than a year now.

The patient-centered methodof delivering health care hasbeen instituted in most militarymedical care treatment facilitiesand many civilian medical prac-

tices over the past couple ofyears.

This hospital’s model, whichwas begun last year, assignedprimary care staff to Blue Team,Gold Team and Pediatrics, andenrolled TRICARE Primepatients to each team.

This allows patients to see thesame team each time they comein for an appointment. Thisreplaced the prior concept ofhaving patients assigned to asingle Primary Care Manager.Patients at the Naval Hospitalnow have an entire team ofhealth care professionals madeup of physicians, physicianassistants, Certified NursePractitioners, Registered Nurses,Licensed Vocational Nurses andCorpsman who are dedicated toproviding their assigned patientswith the best possible healthcare management.

Specialty care by one of thehospital’s network health careproviders has and will remainunchanged in the near future,but, work is underway at thehospital to try to bring morespecialty services “in-house”with additional staff, training or“circuit rider” specialists fromSan Diego or Camp Pendletonwith them seeing patients hereinstead of making patients travel

some distance for care. Also, the hospital disestab-

lished the Central AppointmentsCall Center and also moved theclerks to Medical Home Teamslast year to allow the MedicalHome Team staff to speakdirectly to patients calling in torequest appointments. In manycases with this change, patientshave been able to book a sameday appointment, or to speak

with a team member to receivean answer to a simple healthcare question. The phone num-ber has remained unchanged,patients can still call 760-830-2752 and they will be directedto their assigned team.

Another patient pleaser thehospital has just initiated isposting the available open

THE EXAMINER

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Did you know?...

Robert E. Bush Naval Hospital

“Serving with Pride and Professionalism since 1993”

You have the right toexpress your concernsabout patient safety and

quality of care.There are several avenues opento you:* Through the ICE website.* The Hospital’s CustomerRelations Officer at 760-830-2475, or any of the CustomerRelations representatives in thehospital’s clinics, or directly tothe Joint Commission via: E-mail at complaint@jointcomission.orgFax: 630-792-5636

The Joint CommissionOak Renaissance BoulevardOakbrook Terrace, IL 60181

To report Fraud, Waste andAbuse contact one of thebelow offices by calling:

Naval Hospital: 760-830-2764Combat Center: 760-830-7749NavMedWest: 1-877-479-3832Medical IG: 1-800-637-6175DoD IG: 1-800-424-9098

http://www.med.navy.mil/sites/nhtp/pages/default.aspx

An Award Winning Publication

Patients seen in April -- 13,993Appointment No Shows in April -- 793

In April we dropped a bit to 5.4 percent of patient appointment no shows.We need to keep trending downward by keeping the appointments we make,or by canceling in enough time for someone else to use the slot...

To make an appointment call -- 760-830-2752To cancel an appointment call -- 760-830-2369

Hospital Works to Provide Premium Care to Patients

Introducing the Hospital’sSenior Nurse Executive

By Dan BarberPublic Affairs OfficerRobert E. Bush Naval Hospital

Since this hospital openedits doors to patient care alot of staff have come andgone. Some of the most

memorable providers served inthe Navy or Marine Corps withvery different military jobs.

A couple of them were physi-cists with the Nuclear SubmarineService, one was a pilot of an A6attack bomber and Navy testpilot, one was a weapons officerin an attack squadron, and one ofour physicians served as anartillery officer in the MarineCorps and as a high schoolteacher before becoming a NavyMedical Corps officer.

Now we have someone with anew background Captain SandraMason, NC, USN former Navytugboat crewmember, and MarineGunnery Sergeant is our newestSenior Nurse Executive.

This multi-talented woman grew up in Forrest City Arkansas on afarm as the oldest of 11 children. “Some of my family is still there andsome have moved away,” Mason said. “My Family is scattered allover the United States.”

According to Mason, out of all her siblings only two others joined

Continued on page 7

Team providers are...Blue Team: Lt. Matthew MessolineLt. Carrie BeatyLt. Lisa GibsonLt. Jeffrey Sorenson, andDr. Linda JamesGold Team:Lt. Cmdr. Mark WoodbridgeLt. Cmdr. Tuang VuLt. Cmdr. Patricia CrellerLt. Jannelle Mara, andLt. Steven ArnoldPediatrics:Lt. Cmdr. Timothy BrenderLt. Cmdr. Robin BarengLt. Kristina DePaolo-CarlinLt. Timothy ChinnockLt. Sarah Bialobok (deployed)

Continued on page 6

By Martha Hunt, MA CAMFHealth Promotions CoordinatorRobert E. Bush Naval Hospital

Tobacco effects men’shealth in many ways.In fact, tobacco use isthe leading cause of

death and disability in the U.S.due to heart disease, cancer, dia-betes, etc.

Also, if you smoke your lungcancer risk doubles to 1 in 5 ifyou have a family member whohas had lung cancer.

In addition to lung cancer,tobacco use can also cause othercancers and other serious ill-nesses.

According to the NationalInstitutes of Health (NIH),

tobacco use has been shown tohave harmful effects on all partsof the digestive system includ-ing heartburn, peptic ulcers,increased risk of Crohn’s dis-ease, colitis, colon polyps andpossibly gallstones. Tobaccoalso affects the liver by chang-ing the way it breaks downmedications and alcohol.

Now on to the lungs... ChronicObstructive Pulmonary Disease(COPD) is the fourth leadingcause of death in the US and thesecond leading cause of disabili-ty after heart disease. The NIHdefines COPD as a group oflung diseases that include anycombination of chronic bronchi-tis, emphysema, and asthma.

Tobacco use is linked to

numerous other heart and lungdiseases such as: Aorticaneurysm, hardening of thearteries, damage to the arteriesin the legs and feet, which canlead to amputation, heart dis-ease, which could lead to a heartattack, high blood pressure, ,Pneumonia, Stroke and Suddendeath (especially in men), just toname a few.

In fact, half of all smokers willdevelop emphysema before theydie. Those tobacco users whohave a family history of strokeare six times more likely to havea stroke themselves than thoseindividuals who do not usetobacco and do not have a fami-ly history of stroke.

Tobacco use has been linked tomany other diseases besidescancer, heart and lung diseases.They can include anxiety disor-ders, arthritis, brain damage(especially when mixed with

alcohol use), blindness, depres-sion, diabetes, hearing loss,osteoporosis, rotator joint injury,spinal disc damage, and cancause twice as long for brokenbones to heal and six timesmore chance of infection inwounds.

As far as men’s reproductivehealth, Men who use tobaccohave more infertility than non-tobacco users. They also havehigher rates of impotency anderectile dysfunction. One in sixmen who use tobacco and 1 in 3men who use tobacco and alco-hol will develop impotency.

One in three tobacco users useit as self-medicating. What thismeans is that every time theyget stressed, angry, depressed,lonely, etc they smoke or dip.The nicotine then self medicatesthat person so that they nolonger have those feelings. Thenwhen that person comes off

tobacco they ‘suddenly’ feelangry, stressed or depressed.The problems were alwaysthere, they were just usingtobacco to cover up the issue.Coming off tobacco involvesdealing one’s issues and resolv-ing them.

Finally, tobacco users are near-ly twice as likely to develop dia-betes as are non-users... In fact,heavy users -- those who smokemore than 20 cigarettes a day ordip more than 1/4 can per day --more than triple their risk ofdeveloping diabetes.

If you are interested in quittingtobacco, there is no longer amandatory four week long class.All you need to do is call HealthPromotion and Wellness at(760) 830-2814 for informationon ways to quit tobacco.

2 -- The Examiner -- June 2012

Published by Hi-Desert Publishing, a private firm in no way connected with the Department of Defense, the UnitedStates Marine Corps, United States Navy or Naval Hospital, Twentynine Palms under exclusive written contract withthe Marine Air Ground Task Force Training Command. The appearance of advertising in this publication, includinginserts or supplements, does not constitute endorsement by the Department of Defense, the United States MarineCorps, the United States Navy or Hi-Desert Publishing of the products or services advertised. Everything advertisedin this publication shall be made available for purchase, use, or patronage without regard to race, color, religion, sex,national origin, age, marital status, physical handicap, political affiliation, or any other non-merit factor of the pur-chaser, user or patron. If a violation or rejection of this equal opportunity policy by an advertiser is confirmed, thepublisher shall refuse to print advertising from that source until the violation is corrected. Editorial content is preparedby the Public Affairs Office, Naval Hospital, Twentynine Palms, Calif.

Commanding OfficerCaptain Ann Bobeck, MSC, USN

Executive OfficerCaptain Cynthia Gantt, NC, USN

Command Master ChiefHMCM (SW/FMF) Rodney Ruth, USN

Public Affairs Officer/EditorDan Barber

The Examiner welcomes your comments and suggestions concerning the publication. Deadline for submission of arti-cles is the 15th of each month for the following month’s edition. Any format is welcome, however, the preferredmethod of submission is by e-mail or by computer disk.

How to reach us...Commanding Officer Naval HospitalPublic Affairs OfficeBox 788250 MAGTFTCTwentynine Palms, CA 92278-8250Com: (760) 830-2362DSN: 230-2362FAX: (760) 830-2385E-mail: dan.barber@med.navy.milHi-Desert Publishing Company56445 Twentynine Palms HighwayYucca Valley, CA 92284Com: (760) 365-3315FAX: (760) 365-8686

June is Men’s Health Month...Are You Still Using Tobacco?

Protecting Your Eyes in the DesertBy Martha Hunt, MA CAMFHealth Promotions CoordinatorRobert E. Bush Naval Hospital

The American Academy of Ophthalmology states that eye injuryis a significant health problem in the United States -- “secondonly to cataract as a cause of visual impairment. Each year

more than 2.5 million eye injuries occur and 50,000 people perma-nently lose part or all of their vision.”

Ninety percent of all eye injuries can be prevented by using protec-tive eyewear. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)has calculated that vision loss costs the U.S. $51 Billion per year indirect medical costs, lost productivity, etc. This doesn’t include thepersonal costs such as pain and suffering.

Eye damage in the desert usually results from both the very brightsunlight found here and from blowing sand and debris. The biggestthreat from sunlight in the desert comes from the UV rays present insunlight. UV A and UV B rays can cause cataracts, retina damage,along with other damage, including skin cancer.

Cataracts occur when the lens of the eyes is damaged. The imagepasses through the lens to the retina - the inner, back wall of your eye.The retina transmits the image to your brain much like a cameracatches what you see and transmits the image to film or sensors. If theretina is damaged, your brain doesn’t receive the image of what is infront of you and you are blind.

Pterygium and Pinguecula are growths that occur on the membranesor cornea of your eyes. While neither causes cancer, they must some-times be surgically removed to prevent blindness. Photokeratitis is asunburn on the cornea of the eye. The cornea is the clear membranethat covers the front of your eye and protects your eye.

Damage to your eyes from sunlight is cumulative over time. Thismeans that damage builds up over time and the more damage youhave as a young person, the greater your risk of eye damage andblindness as you age. Children especially should be protected fromsun damage as their eyes are more delicate than an adult’s.

So how do I protect your eyes from sand and sun? It’s really veryeasy; wear a wide brimmed hat and correctly designed sunglasses. Awide brimmed hat will block approximately half of all UV light thatreaches you. Properly made sun glasses will block much of theremaining UV light.

How do I know if my sunglasses are properly made? Properly madesunglasses should block 100 percent of both UV A and UV B light.

Continued on page 7

By Brian P. SmithTriWest Healthcare Alliance

Bumps, cuts and bruises areall part of any kid’s life.

Dealing with deployments andmultiple moves and schoolchanges are all part of a militarykid’s life. As a parent, you strivefor consistency. You want safetyand happiness. But what do youdo when your family getsbumped, cut and bruised alongthe way?

Adapting is a big part of beinga military family. Change hap-pens. These changes can bemoves, deployments or an ill orinjured parent; even a death inthe family. You might need helpstarting a conversation withyour kids about the new situa-tion. Maybe you need somethingto point you in the right direc-tion, or maybe you need some-one to help guide you down the

path. Whether you are startingout on your own or feel liketurning to behavioral health pro-fessionals for help, you’re notalone. And remember, concen-trating on your emotional healthis just as important -- if notmore -- than focusing on yourphysical health.

A good place to start isTriWest Healthcare Alliance’sonline behavioral health andparenting resource center(TriWest.com/FamilySupport).You can find information, self-assessments and professionalresources on a wide variety offamily and relationship topicsthat you can explore at yourown pace, 24/7/365.

To get you started, here arethree family-friendly tips fromTriWest. Are you:

Modeling behavior?Children watch their parents

and siblings and “mirror” whatthey see; it’s how they learn to

walk, talk and play with others.It’s also how they learn to act indifferent situations. When thestress starts, how do mom, dad,brother and sister behave?

Dr. Blake Chaffee Ph.D.,TriWest Healthcare Alliancevice president of integratedhealth care services, emphasizesthat parents should be aware ofhow they deal with stress.“Deployment periods are a timewhen parents are modeling self-care and coping strategies fortheir children,” he says. “This isthe time to give your childrenexamples of positive behaviors.”

Dealing with it?You’ll be adjusting to the new

roles, schedules, and relation-ships, too. Dealing with allthose changes can help strength-en the bonds within the family.

“It’s helpful to continuallyremind children that change canhelp families become stronger,

and to recognize and supportyour child’s positive behaviors,”Dr. Chaffee adds.

Getting it covered?Behaviors that do not improve

over time may need extra atten-tion. You can start by talking toyour child’s primary care man-ager. As TRICARE beneficiar-ies, your children will be cov-ered when working with a spe-cialist. Your primary care man-

ager may be able to recommendan appropriate professional.

For most outpatient behavioralhealth care, your child will notneed a referral for the first eightvisits each year. Your family hasmany options under TRICAREto get the type of help you need.You can find more informationabout the TRICARE behavioralhealth benefit atTriWest.com/FamilySupport.

The Examiner -- June 2012 -- 3

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Deny Mosquitoes a Breeding PoolBy Lt. Shelley Griffith, MPH, RSRobert E. Bush Naval Hospital

Summer is fast approaching and with it come the mosquitoesthat accompany our outdoor activities.

There are ways you can prevent these bugs from flying awaywith your outdoor barbeque happiness. Simple things in theyard can have standing water. Mosquitoes need water to makemore little mosquitoes. Take a look around the outside of your home and notice whathas water sitting in it. Think of ways to provide drainage tothose items to get the water out. Properly dispose of old tiresso they don’t become a hatchery for new mosquitoes. Pottedplants need to have proper drainage to maintain a healthy plantand to prevent standing water. These are just a couple of sim-ple tips that may help to make your summer more enjoyable.Another way to plan outdoor activities is to understand thatmosquitoes like to come out at dawn and dusk, just when it iswarming up or cooling down here in the desert. Try to planactivities to end before the sun starts to go down. Protectionfrom mosquitoes also can be accomplished by wearing longsleeves and jeans with covered shoes. This will prevent beingbitten by a mosquito. Bug spray, zappers, and insecticide arealso a choice, but it may be a smelly one. If you would like to find more simple tips for enjoying sum-mer activities just look at cdc.gov and epa.gov for more funways to stay healthy this summer.

Strong Families Always Plan for Change

2X2AD

To optimize access to care forpatients the Robert E. BushNaval Hospital is now listingopen appointments each dayon its Facebook Page.

The posting also informspatients on how to sign up forRelay Health, or to registerwith TRICARE Online...

Check it out on the NavalHospital’s Facebook!

4 -- The Examiner -- June 2012

Super Stars...

HM3 Raven Crook, OB/GYN Clinic, receiveda Gold Star in lieu of her second Navy andMarine Corps Achievement Medal.

Andrew Bonner, Facilities Management Dept., was recognized by Captain Ann Bobeck,Commanding Officer, Naval Hospital Twentynine Palms at a recognition luncheon for hisdepartment.

HM3 James Louck, Adult Medical Care Clinic, takes theoath at his recent reenlistment ceremony.

Last month friends, family, and Multi-Service Ward staff celebratedas two of their officers were recognized for promotion. KimberlyBurnes (bottom) and Kelli Hromadka (top) were promoted fromLieutenant. Captain Maureen Pennington, past Director ofNursing Services, served as the promoting officer. Lieutenant Kelli Hromadka has been a member of the hospital forapproximately 9 months and a Navy Nurse for 4 years. Lieutenant Kimberly Burnes has been on the staff member forapproximately 1 year and a Navy Nurse for 4 years. Lt. Burnesdeployed last month to join the USNS Mercy in support of PacificPartnership 2012.

Multi-Service Ward Celebrates Officer Promotions

The Examiner -- June 2012 -- 5

HM1 Peter Kamau, Respiratory Therapist, takes the oath at hisrecent reenlistment ceremony.

Kathy Sunny, Behavioral HealthDept., received the “Fish” awardfrom her Department forExcellence in CustomerRelations.

Continued on page 8

HM3 Zachary Zanzone, Public Health Dept., takes the oath at his recent reenlistment ceremony.

6 -- The Examiner -- June 2012

Sub Offer5X3

the military. “I have a brotherwho was in the Marine Corpsand a sister who was in theArmy. But they did one tourand got out.” The command’snewest member has a combinedtotal of more than 30 years ofservice to her country.

“After I joined the Navy, I wasassigned to YTM 543, a tugboat,in Norfolk, Va., in 1974,” saidMason. “This was a time whenthe Navy was changing the roleof women in the military byexpaning job opportunities andstudying the feasibility of allow-ing women to be assigned toships,” she added.

According to Mason, duringthat time, some men really did-n’t like women being assignedto jobs that were traditionallydone by them. “We had to worka little bit harder to get them toaccept us as part of the crew.Despite the challenges, I reallyenjoyed the job, but I left theNavy to get an education as Ihad planned to do after highschool. Being assigned to a tugboat didn’t allow time to takeclasses because we could becalled out at any time whenNavy ships were leaving port orreturning,” she said. “With thisduty we didn’t have a set workschedule.”

“That’s why I left the Navyand went to the Marine Corpsbecause I was told that I wouldbe allowed to attend school andthey kept their word. I was alsoallowed to use annual leave to

do my clinical rotations. Forthat I am very appreciative. Inreturn, I promised to alwaystake care of Marines wherever Iwas assigned. This assignmentis actually my first assignmenton a Marine Corps base as aNavy Nurse. I am pretty happyabout being assigned here,” saidMason.

Most of Mason’s MarineCorps tours were on the EastCoast. She never got the chanceto serve here in the desert.“While serving in the MarineCorps I worked in administra-tion as a 0121/0193, I workedwith personnel records, orderwriting, policy and budgeting,”she said.

Captain Mason’s goals for thisjob are to support the com-mand’s mission of providing thebest possible care to thepatients. “I would like to helppatients by bringing services in-house like establishing an infu-sion center so patients don’thave to drive all the way downto the lower desert for that serv-ice.”

“During my tour here I plan toconduct Senior Nurse Calls tohear the concerns of bothpatients and staff, because peo-ple are our greatest resource.The mission is important butwithout the people, the missionwill not get done. I believe thatwe should always train. As theline community would say“train as you fight and fight asyou train” so for me we should-

train the way we provide med-ical care to patients and providethat medical care the way wetrained. When you find that youdon’t need to be trained any-more then it’s time for youleave, Mason said.

“I have only been here a shorttime, so I’m sure other goalswill come up,” she added.

“Both of my deployments toAfghanistan gave me a differentperspective on training andmedical care. I worked directlywith the Afghanistan NationalArmy medical staff, teachingthem to run a hospital and howto take care of their patients. Onmy second tour I got to see howmuch of that training I did wasstill being used.”

Also, Captain Mason deployedaboard the hospital ship USNSMercy during DesertStorm/Desert Shield for seven

months where she was assignedto a 80-bed Intensive care Unitas staff nurse taking care of ourown military members whowere freed Prisoners of War, “Igot to do the job that I wastrained to do,” she said.

Mason was also deployedaboard the hospital ship “TheUSNS Comfort” to the BalticSea for 60 days for a humanitar-ian mission in conjunction withparticipating in a naval exercise.“Everywhere I have beendeployed in caring for peoplethey have always been apprecia-tive,” she said. The statement apatient made that sticks with memost is when I was on theMercy in Bahrain, one of theyoung Sailors came to me andsaid, “I’m so glad that you arehere because if I get shot I knowthat I will be taken care ofbecause you guys are here.”

Later we had a patient suffer-ing with a perforated ear drumand became life threateningbecause the infection spread tohis brain. We got him in thenick of time to stabilize him andMEDEVAC him back to theStates for definitive care. Ithought back on that incidentwhere we were able to save thatperson. This is why I alwaysmake sure to maintain my clini-cal skills so I am always readywhen called upon to use them,and it is my goal to ensure mynursing staff maintain their clin-ical skills because you neverknow when you may be calledto use them.”

Captain Mason enjoys bikeriding and jazz music, she likesreading. While deployed shestarted taking guitar lessons andhopes to continue that here.

Senior Nurse Executive...Continued from page 1

You have the Power?Did you know that you have the power to influence how you are cared for at the Robert E.

Bush Naval Hospital?If you have recently received health care at the hospital you may receive a patient satisfaction sur-vey form from the Navy’s Bureau of Medicine and Surgery regarding your visit.Your opinion about the service you received is very important to the staff here at the hospital andto our leadership in Washington, D.C. Please take a few minutes to complete and return the sur-vey, noting our strengths and probably more importantly recommendations for areas we need toimprove. This data is very important to the leaders of the hospital.If you have any questions or concerns whenever you receive care here, you are always welcome tospeak to the command’s Customer Relations Representative, Mr. Bob Greger. He can be reachedat 760-830-2475. You can also leave a comment with the Marine Corps Air Ground CombatCenter’s ICE system and your questions or concerns will be promptly answered.

By Kristin ShivesTRICARE Management Activity

May was Lupus aware-ness month. Lupus is adisease that can be

mild or life-threatening depend-ing on a person’s present status.With proper medical care andknowledge, most people canmanage a healthy life withlupus.

Lupus is an autoimmune dis-ease that can affect various partsof the body, especially the skin,joints, blood and kidneys. Ahealthy body produces proteinscalled antibodies that protectagainst viruses, bacteria and for-eign invaders known as anti-gens. Lupus causes a body tohave trouble telling the differ-ence between antigens and itsown cells and tissue. In turn, thebody makes antibodies and

attacks itself. These attacks cancause inflammation, pain anddamage to organs.

Lupus is not easy to diagnosebecause it mimics other illness-es. According to the LupusFoundation of America, diag-nosing lupus is based on a com-bination of physical symptomsand laboratory results. It’simportant to know symptoms oflupus, and be aware of the risksassociated with the disease.

Fatigue and non-specific painare common with lupus and usu-ally go unnoticed in the begin-ning stages. According to theU.S. Department of Health andHuman Services, people suffer-ing from lupus have symptomsthat include; muscle and jointpain, anemia, chest pain, rashes,hair loss, light sensitivity, andmouth or nose ulcers.

Treatment of lupus depends onage, symptoms, general health

and lifestyle. The purpose oftreatment is to reduce inflamma-tion, suppress an overactiveimmune system, prevent flares,control joint pain and fatigueand minimize damage to organs.Regular evaluations are neededto check if the disease flares up.There are medications to treatlupus and TRICARE covers sev-eral of these medications. Usethe formulary search toolhttp://pec.ha.osd.mil/formula-ry_search.php to find coveredmedications.

Beneficiaries on TRICAREPrime should speak with theirprimary care manager (PCM) ifthey notice any of these symp-toms. A PCM referral is requiredto seek care from a rheumatolo-gist. Rheumatologists specializein diseases of joints and mus-cles. Beneficiaries on TRICAREStandard must use a TRICARE-authorized provider.

The Examiner -- June 2012 -- 7

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Remember, it’s the UV rays thatdo the most damage to youreyes. Properly made sunglassesshould also block out as muchoverall light as possible.However, darker is not necessar-ily better. If the lenses of thesunglasses are dark, but don’tblock UV rays, you still areallowing the UV rays into youreyes and damaging your eyes.

They should also be polarizedto eliminate glare. A lot of sun-glasses advertised as polarizing

actually are not. There's a sim-ple test you can perform beforeyou buy them to make sure.Find a reflective surface outsidein natural sunlight and hold theglasses so that you are viewingthe surface through one of thelenses. Then slowly rotate theglasses to a 90-degree angle andsee if the reflective glare dimin-ishes and then increases as youchange angle. If the sunglassesare polarized, you will see a sig-nificant change in the glare. If

they are not polarized, don’t buythem.

Properly fitting sunglasses pro-tects your eyes from blowingsand and dust. Sand and dustcan cause corneal abrasions orscratches on the surface of youreye. These can be incrediblypainful and affect your visionfor weeks after.

You only have one set of eyes;please take good care of themby protecting them from sun andsand. Your eyes will thank youwith a lifetime of clearer vision!

Protecting Your Eyes...Continued from page 2

appointments each work day onthe hospital’s Facebook page athttp://www.facebook.com/pages/Naval-Hospital-Twentynine-Palms/83701100741#. Normallythis posting will be listed by7:15 a.m. each morning to allowthe patients to see what is avail-able. “If the caller misses theopportunity to book one of theseappointments, they still will beable to talk to a team memberwho will do their best to helpthem,” said Commander LisaMorris, Director of MedicalServices of the hospital. “Wewant our patients to be satisfiedwith their care, but we also wantto deliver that care safely. With

that in mind we will alwaysstrive to say ‘yes’ to our patientswhen we can,” she added. Inaddition, the hospital signed upfor a secure computer basedcommunications tool last yearcalled Relay Health wherepatients can access their medicalteam from home...to email theirprovider, request an appoint-ment, cancel an appointment ,request a prescription renewal orfind out the results of lab tests.To sign up visit:https://app.relayhealth.com/Registration.aspx and follow regis-tration directions.

“We have found that theMedical Home Team method of

patient-centered care providesour customers with more accessto primary care and it allowslonger appointments so ourproviders are able to meet mostif not all of our patients healthcare needs during one visit,”said Morris.

The purpose of the Robert E.Bush Naval hospital is to carefor the Marines, Sailors, andfamilies of the Marine Corps AirGround Combat Center and tokeep its promise of care to themilitary retirees and families inthe surrounding communities ofthe Morongo Basin. “The reasonwe are here is to care for ourpatients,” said Morris.

Premium Care...Continued from page 1

Learning to Live with LupusTo optimize access to care for patients theRobert E. Bush Naval Hospital is now listingopen appointments each day on its FacebookPage.

The posting also informs patients on how tosign up for Relay Health, or to register withTRICARE Online...

Check it out on the Naval Hospital’sFacebook!

8 -- The Examiner -- June 2012

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Super Stars...Continued from page 5

HM2 Patrick Malone,Optometry Dept., was recog-nized at a department luncheonby Captain Ann Bobeck.

Captain MaureenPennington, SeniorNurse Executive,receives aOutstandingVolunteer ServiceMedal.

Lt. Andrew Olson, MaterialsManagement Dept. Head,receives a Navy and MarineCorps Commendation Medal.

Lieutenant Cornello Rustia, Emergency MedicineDept. is piped ashore at his recent retirement cere-mony.

Todd Phelps, Facilities,receives a Federal Lengthof Service Award.

HM1 Jeremy Walton, Bio-Med Equipment, receives aGold Star in lieu of his thirdNavy and Marine CorpsAchievement Medal.

HM3 Michael Wall,Maternal Infant NursingDept., is honored by beingauthorized to wear theNaval HospitalTwentynine Palms HonorGuard Aiguillette.