European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 26, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Seeking care patients sometimes hang in for three hours or More in the emergency room waiting area at Lan Stuhl army regional medical  up at the clinic making the Best of shortages by Janet do Agostino medical writer Sherry Grogg has dialled and dialled her phone for three months trying to Book an appointment at the obstetrics and gynaecology clinic at the air Force Hospital in Wiesbaden West Germany. But the line is always Busy. A i can never get through to Central appointments Quot said Grogg the wife of army sgt. Michael Grogg who is stationed at Wiesbaden a. Donald Sipe a retired lieutenant colonel waited seven months for an appointment at the orthopaedic clinic of Frankfurt army regional medical Center. His wait was lengthened unnecessarily because Hospital personnel were unaware of a change in the method of booking appointments. They did not know until two months after the Start of the new system that Sipes could not Book an appointment by Telephone but had to mail in his referral. Staff sgt. Steven and Michele Menzel Are used to making repeated Calls to the Lan Stuhl army regional medical Center when trying to make paediatric appointments for their children. And it s no Surprise to them once they get through to be told that All appointments Are booked and to Call Back. These Are familiar experiences for family members retirees and civilian government employees using american military health facilities overseas. Long Waits Are often the Rule not Only for surgery and specially care but also for routine appointments. Active duty service members their family members and retirees receive free medical care in military facilities. Civilian government workers can use military facilities but must pay a $63 fee which covers the visit with a physician and some other services from prescriptions to surgery to follow up visits. Complaints from patients do not focus so much on the ability of military doctors and nurses As they do on the difficulties of just getting in the door to see a health professional. Quot i have no quarrel with the Quality of care i receive from doctors and other professionals Quot said Mary l. Boerschinger school improvement specialist for Dodds Nurnberg District schools. Quot but obtaining the appointment for that care is almost always the result of my own persistence and  in most military hospitals and clinics it is easier to obtain care for acute or emergency problems than it is for routine specially care such As orthopaedics obstetrics gynaecology paediatrics or Eye care. The Type of care that is most difficult to obtain varies from facility to facility and according to the time of the year. Quot Access to medical care at overseas medical treatment facilities is inadequate for Many dependents and in some cases Active duty members Quot the general accounting office reported to Congress this Spring after Gao fact finders spent several months last fall and Winter visiting overseas military hospitals. The Gao found Long waiting times for routine appointments and surgery lengthy delays in obtaining Laboratory results and overcrowded emergency rooms. Military medical officials in Europe do not deny there is a problem. Quot we Are staffed to handle All emergency cases and most but not All routine care that All of our beneficiaries want Quot said or. Col Ronald Blanck commander of the Frankfurt army regional medical Center. It is the amount of routine care that cannot be provided for beneficiaries that causes the problem he said. Active duty service members do not usually face the same Waits for care because they have priority continued on Page 14 tuesday june 26, 1990 the stars and stripes Page 13