Photos

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Corpsmen Up for those in need…hospital corpsmen assigned to Naval Hospital Bremerton prepare to assist Internal Medicine Clinic patients with transitioning to a civilian provider in the surrounding network. The patients, all TRICARE For Life, were addressed by NHB leadership during a Town Hall meeting held January 31, 2025. The standing room only crowd, many who had received a letter notifying them of the event, were there to hear – and be heard – on a transition impacting their access to care at NHB. NHB is going to lose all active-duty Internal Medicine physicians due to retirement and permanent change of duty orders, which will leave the clinic with only one physician still assigned and well over 2,000 patients enrolled. “One physician for 2,200 patients…those numbers just don’t add up,” said Capt. Molly Jenkins, NHB executive officer. The resulting loss of the providers will impact those empaneled Internal Medicine TRICARE For Life patients in attendance in several specific ways, particularly with decreased access to care and increased appointment wait times. For the patients to still receive the care needed - in a timely manner – NHB is assisting with transitioning hundreds of TRICARE For Life patients into the surrounding network with providers, doctor offices and medical clinics who accept Medicare. Questions were answered, queries were addressed, and computer-access assistance was set up to help those in need locate a provider by a team of Family Medicine department and Internal Medicine clinic hospital corpsmen. They will continue such support service every Tuesday, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. for the foreseeable future (Official Navy photo by Douglas H Stutz, NHB/NMRTC Bremerton public affairs officer).