5th MDG after hour medical advice, care Published April 13, 2010 By Lt. Col. Yolanda Rogers Clinical Services Flight Commander MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- What should a person do if their baby wakes up in the middle of the night with a fever? What if they are miserable on a Sunday afternoon with a sore throat? What's the best way to take care of a cold? At what point should a person go to the doctor? Sometimes it's difficult to know what to do when feeling sick or hurt. The following steps will assist with answers to these difficult questions and situations: Step 1. If an individual feels it is an emergency situation call "911". This service is covered by Tri-West; Co-pays may apply for certain enrollee's. Step 2. Consult the "Taking Care of Yourself "resource. If a person needs to obtain a free copy of the "Taking Care of Yourself" book, please visit the Family Practice Clinic front desk and they will be happy to give a copy of this excellent resource on how to manage some of the most frequent symptoms a family may encounter. Step 3. If it is not deemed necessary to seek Urgent/Acute Care after hours or weekends, please contact 723-5633, option #1 to seek referral approval. The 5th MDG Staff will request specific information and provide the individual with a referral approval number. Be aware that the staff may be engaged with other patient calls or an "Emergent 911" call. We ask that everyone please be patient. Step 4. If a person feels it necessary to speak with the "On-Call Medical Provider" to discuss items such as homecare instructions or medical direction; the 5th MDG has a designated On-Call Medical Provider to assist by calling 723-5633 option #1. The Staff will ask specific information on the situation and then contact the On-Call Provider via 3-way conference call. Be aware that the staff may be engaged with other patient calls or an "Emergent 911" call. We ask that everyone please be patient. Active Duty members on fly, control or alert status will be connected to the flight surgeon on call when necessary. PRP members must notify their unit PRP monitors prior to any urgent or emergent care outside of the MTF and follow-up with the PRP clinic on the next duty day. PRP members who receive care outside of the MTF may not perform PRP duties until after they follow-up with the PRP clinic the next duty day to be returned to PRP status. For Medication renewals, lab results, or other communication with a PCM team, the individual will still need to contact the clinic where they are assigned during normal duty hours 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday thru Friday. However, the "Taking Care of Yourself" book is a great resource to assist with health related questions and getting the right care at the right time.