Aloha from the Medical Department, Barking Sands.
You are
about to spend your next tour of duty on the MOST beautiful island in the
Hawaiian Chain, Kaua'i, which is appropriately known as the "Garden
Island."
In spite of all it's beauty, there are a few definite drawbacks.
One being that the medical department is particularly concerned with the
low-availability of medical care.
The PMRF Medical Department consists of
One (1) Independent Duty Hospital Corpsman. There is no medical
officer, no dental officer or nurse. The clinic consists of an Admin
office, a small treatment room, a minor laboratory capable of doing routine
tests and a small pharmacy stocked with antibiotics, decongestants and
antihistamine. No X-ray facilities are available on
base.
There are two types of medical services offered at PMRF Barking
Sands: a) active duty personnel and b) family
members.
a. ACTIVE DUTY MEDICAL SERVICES
Routine sick
call, minor emergencies, and general health maintenance are offered on base for
active duty personnel. Some conditions requiring extensive treatment
or X-rays may be referred to the local community hospital or medical
clinic.
Major emergencies will be seen at the nearest hospital which is
approximately 10 miles from the base. In the case of emergencies
requiring hospitalization, or the need for a specialist, you would be stabilized
at PMRF and flown by MEDEVAC to Tripler Army Medical Center on the island of
O'ahu.
Dental Care is available on the island in case of
emergency. Routine dental care will be accomplished during one of the
quarterly visits to PMRF by Dental personnel from the Naval Regional Dental
Clinic, Pearl Harbor.
There are no specialty services available for
Active Duty on Kaua'i, i.e., Orthopedics, Opthalmology, ENT,
etc. These are all scheduled by appointment on
O'ahu.
b. FAMILY MEMBER MEDICAL SERVICES
Provided that
Family Member Entry Approval is obtained, all medical care is available through
TRICARE only. The IDC on base is NOT authorized to treat family
members, no matter how minor the situation is. While most services
are available on Kaua'i, it is quite limited, i.e., one orthopedic, two
orthodontists, one ophthalmologist, 2-3 pediatricians, two hospitals,
etc. A few dentists accept the Family Member Dental Plan so
enrollment in the plan is highly recommended.
Government funded travel
for family members to a Military Treatment Facility is NOT authorized except in
the following circumstances:
Certain ENT appointments such as
Tonsillectomy and PE Tubes.
Pediatric Cardiology
Medical
conditions not covered by TRICARE/PRIME on the island of Kaua'i.
As you
can see, for the health and welfare of you and your family members, overseas
screening is critical. A simple review of medical dental records is
insufficient. The existence of a medical problem, no matter how
slight, needs to be brought to the attention of the overseas
screener. Certain facilities may not be available for your medical
condition, therefore limiting your medical care.
You, as a sponsor of
your family members, should request and interview with a member of your current
medical department to ensure suitability for assignment on Kaua'i. It
is also recommended that you familiarize yourself with TRICARE prior to
departure from your current duty station.
While this may paint a somewhat
bleak picture, you may be assured that you will receive the best medical care
available for you and your family.
If you have any questions, you should
contact this Medical Department at: Commercial (808)335-4203 or DSN
(315) 471-6203.