Scheduling sports physicals

  • Published
  • By Maj. John Weatherwax
  • 341st Medical Operations Squadron pediatric nurse
MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. --  It's that time of year again. Along with beautiful weather comes the need for middle school and high school sports physicals. In the past, the 341st Medical Group has conducted mass sport physical screenings and focused these exams on a few specific dates. Unfortunately, these mass physicals tend to be less thorough, and some problems can potentially be missed.

In order to provide Malmstrom student athletes with more personalized care, the Pediatric Clinic is offering sports physical appointments on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons starting June 30.

Frequently, many people wait until a few days before their physical paperwork has to be turned in to schedule their appointments. This delay can cause significant stress for all involved. The key to avoiding a rush is to schedule physicals early. Remember that physicals may be scheduled up to 28 days in advance and are good for a year.

Since each school or camp has different requirements, it is the parents' responsibility to provide the correct forms at the time of the appointment. Parents should bring all forms that need to be signed and are asked to complete as much of the forms as possible prior to the appointment. The required forms for Montana sports physicals can be obtained at the following web site: http://www.mhsa.org/.  Providers will also need a current shot record from the Malmstrom Immunization Clinic, which is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. and 1 to 3:30 p.m. If vaccines are required, they can be done at that time.

The importance of keeping a scheduled appointment cannot be overemphasized. If someone books an appointment and doesn't show up or call to cancel it, then it is a lost appointment that could have been used by someone else. People calling to reschedule appointments will be given the next available appointment, which may be another 28 days away. If they cannot wait until their scheduled time there are urgent care clinics that will perform physicals. Sport physicals done off base are an out-of-pocket expense and are not reimbursed by TRICARE.

The Pediatric Clinic will continue to accommodate physicals this summer for children ages 2 years-old and under in order to keep current developmental exams on record and immunizations up to date. Any 341st Medical Group appointments may be made through www.tricareonline.com or by calling 731-4MED(4633). When scheduling an appointment, inform the appointment clerk it is for a child's sports physical. As a reminder, children entering kindergarten need to have all required immunizations prior to their first day of school.