Health Care

JBSA - San Antonio Military Medical Center

San Antonio Military Medical Center (SAMMC) is the Army's most modern health care facility and the Army's only Level 1 trauma center. There are 450 inpatient beds of which 48 are intensive care unit beds and 40 are dedicated to the Institute of Surgical Research. The hospital includes 12 operating rooms, five oral-surgery suites, four dental rooms. For hospital information dial:  210-916-4141.

The San Antonio Military Medical Center (SAMMC) is a modern state-of-the-art, health care facility that provides Level 1 trauma and graduate medical education. The physical appearance and efficiency of space throughout the hospital create a user-friendly, high quality health care environment for patients, their families and health care providers. Located in the eastern sector of Fort Sam Houston, this ultra-modern facility, incorporating many high technology features, is six times larger than the old Main Hospital.

The multi-story medical treatment facility is the primary structure in the medical complex. There are 450 inpatient beds of which 48 are intensive care unit beds and 40 are dedicated to the Institute of Surgical Research. The hospital is capable of expanding to 651 beds, if needed, to support wartime mobilization.

SAMMC includes 12 operating rooms, five oral surgery suites, four dental rooms, a diagnostic and therapeutic radiology center, a same-day surgery suite and the requisite outpatient clinic and ancillary support services.

JBSA - Lackland

Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center (WHASC) is the Air Force’s largest medical facility and is located at Lackland Air Force Base.  This state of the art facility was newly constructed and opened in 2017 to meet the four primary missions of the 59^th Medical Wing – readiness, education and training, research and peacetime health care.  WHASC serves as a large, full-service ambulatory surgical center with selected medical and surgical outpatient specialties servicing active-duty service members, their families, retirees and basic trainees.

Military personnel assigned to Lackland will be assigned a primary care provider at Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center.  Family members can elect to receive treatment at any primary care clinic throughout Joint Base San Antonio however, WHASC does provide family health, internal medicine and pediatric services to meet your family’s needs.  If at any time you would like to change your primary care provider, you may either visit the TRICARE service desk located in “C” wing of Wilford Hall or contact TRICARE @ 1-800-TRICARE.  Joint Base San Antonio provides a central appointment line to serve its beneficiaries.  To reach the appointment line simply dial 210-916-9900 to be connected to a list of options.  Through this appointment line you may schedule appointments with your PCM, check on the status of a referral or speak with a nurse at the nurse advice line.

The Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center houses the Family Emergency Center (FEC) and is open 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.  For family members and retirees that are unable to obtain an appointment with their provider and require medical services, TRICARE has authorized the use of network urgent care centers. Log in to TRICARE online to see a list of urgent care centers approved for use within the TRICARE EAST network.  Unfortunately, this benefit is not available to active duty members and you should report to either the FEC or SAMMC ED for urgent/emergent care.

All active duty service members, beneficiaries and retirees may enroll in TRICARE online.  TRICARE online provides patients with several options for managing their health care.  Patients may send messages to their provider, view lab and radiology reports, send medication refill requests and schedule appointments with their PCM.  Messages sent to providers should be addressed within 24 business hours and tends to be a more efficient form of communication with your clinical team.

Dental Services - Dunn Dental Clinic and Air Force Post Graduate Dental School provide dental services to active duty service members for both routine and non-routine care.  There is no routine dental care available for family members on the installation. Only emergencies will be treated. Please contact the TRICARE service center for information on how to enroll family members in the TRICARE Dental Plan.

JBSA - Randolph Air Force Base

The 559th Medical Squadron provides general outpatient medical services to active duty personnel, their family members, retirees and their dependents.  Patients who prefer to be empaneled to Randolph clinic may go to the TRICARE service center located on the first floor of the clinic.  Service center staff will assist with the registration and selection of a primary care manager.  You may also contact TRICARE directly at 1-800-TRICARE and complete your registration over the phone.

Dental care - active duty only. Dependents can enroll in a private dental plan of choice.

Emergency care - it is important to note that the Randolph Clinic does NOT provide emergency medical care. Emergency medical care is provided at San Antonio Military Medical Center (SAMMC) as a level 1 trauma center or Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center (WHASC) for minor emergencies. SAMMC is located 17 miles from Randolph AFB and WHASC is approximately 30 miles from Randolph AFB.

When you move, TRICARE moves with you. No matter where you go in the world, TRICARE is there before, during and when you get to your next duty station.

There are steps you need to take to make sure changes to your TRICARE coverage go smoothly. Understand that when you move, you may have to use a different TRICARE option. Visit TRICARE Moving to learn more.

Before you move, you should take care of any routine medical needs, including immunizations, and fill your prescriptions so you have enough while traveling. If you need care during your move, visit TRICARE Getting Care When Traveling to learn what to do.

Filling prescriptions while traveling

You should refill prescriptions before traveling. But if you run out of a prescription drug while traveling, visit TRICARE Filling Prescriptions When Traveling.

Getting dental care while traveling

Getting dental care while traveling depends on your location and whether you are a service member or family member.

• If you are an active-duty service member within the United States or in U.S. territories, and near a military installation, you may be able to get emergency dental care at the dental treatment facility, or DTF, if available. If not, contact the TRICARE Active Duty Dental Care Program before you see a dentist and tell the contractor about your move. You will need to get an authorization before you see a dentist. The Active Duty Dental Care Program will work with you, so you can get care from a local network dentist.
• If you are an active-duty service member at an overseas location, call the TRICARE overseas regional call center to get authorization before you see a civilian dentist.
• If you are an active-duty family member within the United States, in U.S. territories or at an overseas location, you can find out if any nearby military dental treatment facility treats active-duty family members. If you're enrolled in the TRICARE dental program, call the TRICARE dental program contractor or visit their website to find a provider. You will need to get an authorization before you see the dentist.

With permanent change of station orders, ask for a copy of your medical and dental records from your military treatment facility and the dental treatment facility. Do this at least one month before your PCS date. The MTF should also transfer a copy of your record and any family records to your new duty station or you may be able to hand carry them to your new duty station.

If you want someone else to be able to get medical or dental information on you or your family while you are moving, you need to complete a DD Form 2870, "Authorization for Disclosure of Medical or Dental Information."

For more information on getting copies of medical records, visit TRICARE Request Copies of Medical Records.