FORT RILEY, Kansas  –   In response to high demand and long processing times, Irwin Army Community Hospital is launching a new appointment-based system to streamline medical records requests and improve service for patients and families.
 
Currently, the Medical Records Branch processes more than 70 walk-in requests per day. Combined with a staffing shortage and a backlog of documentation requests, this volume has resulted in wait times of 30 to 45 days for customers to receive their medical records.
 
To reduce these delays and enhance the patient experience, IACH will begin offering scheduled appointments starting July 14 through the Digital Appointment Portal, a Defense Health Agency platform. The goal is to provide more timely, predictable service for those needing access to their medical records.
 
“With an appointment, patients can expect their request to be prioritized over walk-ins,” said Anna Wohlcke, Medical Records Branch Chief.  “This change is designed to provide our patients with copies of their records at the time of their appointment and to help our staff process requests more efficiently.”
 
During the early phase of this program, all visits will occur in person. In the future, many appointments may be available over the phone.
 
To schedule your appointment starting July 14, visit the Digital Appointment Portal at https://informatics-stage.health.mil/DAP/GeoLocations.aspx.