News

436th Medical Group Pharmacy Customer Service Enhancements

  • Published
  • By Maj. Alison M. Ney
  • 436th Medical Support Squadron
The Dover AFB Pharmacy now offers two new customer service enhancements. The first one is a MedReturn bin for unused or expired medications. The second enhancement allows beneficiaries to refill their medications online instead of over the phone. We highly encourage our beneficiaries and customers to take advantage of these improvements.

Did you know that overdoses from prescription medications is one of the leading causes of death each year in the U.S.? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the rate of deaths from drug overdose has increased 137 percent since 2000. The Dover AFB Annual Drug Takeback Day event is one of the efforts to help curtail the problem. The event provides an opportunity to dispose of expired or unwanted medications. Now instead of waiting for the annual event, customers can safely get rid of their expired or unwanted medications in a MedReturn bin which is located inside the 436th Medical Group between the main entrance door and the pharmacy.

Anyone that has base access is permitted to utilize the MedReturn bin during the hours that the 436th MDG is open. The hours of operation are from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. The 436th MDG is closed the second Tuesday of the month, all federal holidays, Air Mobility Command family days and other days designated by leadership.

All items that are deposited in the MedReturn bin will be directly removed and incinerated in partnership with Security Forces, Office of Special Investigations and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Items that can be deposited into the bin include prescription pills, patches, ointments, vitamins, over-the-counter medications, samples and medications for pets. Items that cannot be deposited include inhalers, aerosol cans, needles, thermometers, liquids or hydrogen peroxide. There is a picture on the front of the MedReturn bin to remind customers of what can and cannot be placed in the bin. If you have any questions about appropriate disposal of other products, please stop by the pharmacy to speak with a representative. If you have other items at home that you are unsure of how to dispose of, you can ask a pharmacy representative to help with options for proper, environmentally safe disposal.

We are extremely pleased with the TRICARE Online pharmacy improvements which allows beneficiaries to better manage their medications online using www.Tricareonline.com features. After logging in, beneficiaries are able to view active medications that are in their profile and the date they can be refilled. This capability eliminates the need to call the pharmacy department if someone forgets the refill number. Additionally, there are options to receive confirmation emails or text messages pertaining to date and time the refills will be available for pick-up. The system requires each beneficiary over the age of 18 to establish their own account. Dependents who are younger than the age of 18 are listed under their sponsor’s account. Spouses will not be able to view each other’s account. We sincerely hope that these enhancements will result in a more pleasant experience for our beneficiaries thereby increasing customers’ satisfaction.