Summary: GAO analyzed data for appointment scheduling in the four TRICARE regions in November 1999 and found that only about one-quarter of the TRICARE contractors have appointment-making responsibility. In general, these contractors scheduled a higher percentage of appointments for clinics that provide primary care services than for those that provide specialty care. In the four regions, DOD and its military treatment facilities (MTFs) have restricted the types and numbers of appointments available to the contractors for scheduling because some professional staff do not trust contractors to accurately schedule appointments and to ensure that any medical instructions--like fasting--be provided before the visit. When comparing like clinics within different MTFs, the percentage of appointments scheduled by contractors varies substantially. When there are DOD and MTF restrictions, beneficiaries requesting appointments from the contractor may be transferred to the MTF clinic or told to call the MTF directly. Although DOD is reducing and standardizing the number of appointment types and names used throughout the military care health system, DOD has not yet decided on or implemented a more uniform process for making appointments.
