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                         July 26, 2002

Keller Army Community Hospital: One-stop for medicine

Story and photo by Spc. Nate Jastrzemski
Staff Writer 

Keller Army Community Hospital is the primary medical facility for West Point and nearby military personnel, offering services to all TRICARE Prime members.

"We do everything from emergency medicine all the way through community and occupational health," said Mary Patrice Ruocco, Quality Improvement Office chief. "Our clinics range from family medicine and internal medicine, including pediatrics to the department of surgery, audiology, and a pharmacy, in fact, it might actually be easier to tell you what we don’t do."

She explained Keller Hospital is considered an "one-stop shop" when it comes to the delivery of medicine.

"We deliver primary care medicine as well as all the ancillary services with the treatment in delivering care," Ruocco said. "Radiology, pathology, physical therapy and other specialized services can be done in-house, and in that rare occasion there is a specialty referral that we can’t do in-house -- such as pediatric cardiology for instance -- we have a resource-sharing network with other providers in our TRICARE area that help share the burden.

"One of the things we’re very fortunate with is we are now beginning to bring some of those outside services into Keller, like neurology and gastro, with outside providers to make services seamless to patients."

Ruocco stressed several important pieces of advice for incoming personnel to ensure quick and easy transitions into the Keller community.

"It’s very important that as soon as new arrivals are settled into their residences they bring in their medical records and enroll in our region at the TRICARE service center in Highland Falls," she said.

"Sometimes there are loose ends that have to be tied up with records that we will want to do as soon as possible, so bring in your records."

She also said immediately enrolling with local TRICARE and getting a primary doctor can really simplify getting future appointments and care.

Lastly, she stressed attaining a KACH Patient handbook.

Ruocco added, "I personally prepare the handbook and update it twice a year, and it contains all the general information about the clinics, such as hours, phone numbers and points of contact. Copies of the patient handbook will be available here at the hospital and at the Community Fair Wednesday."