Health Care
Naval Branch Health Clinic Groton
Buildings 449 and 575
Appointments: (888) 628-9633
The primary mission of the Naval Health Branch Clinic, Groton (NBHC), located on Naval Submarine Base New London, is to provide quality patient centered medical care to all eligible beneficiaries. The Clinic is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays and holidays the clinic is closed.
The NBHC Groton provides a number of services including Primary Care, Undersea Medicine, Internal Medicine, Immunization, Wellness Services, Individual Medical Readiness (IMR), Radiology, Physical Therapy, Audiology, Dental, Pharmacy and Laboratory. Other services offered may be limited specialty services such as Dermatology, General Surgery, Ophthalmology, Optometry, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Orthopedics, Otorhinolaryngology (ENT), Chiropractic Care and Podiatry.
Occupational Medicine Department provides services that include radiation health, preventive medicine, and industrial hygiene.
The Primary Care Clinic’s primary function is to provide care to Tricare Prime and designated SPP (special provisions patient) beneficiaries. Other categories of patients are seen on a space available basis. Tricare Prime patients are enrolled to a specific primary care manager. In the event that an appointment is not available with the assigned primary care manager, another provider on the team may provide the needed services. Appointments are required for all services except for Prime patient walk-in protocols.
Tricare Prime patients can have the following procedures performed at NBHC Groton as a walk-in patient without having an appointment: blood pressure check, sore throat/throat culture (non-active duty only); suture removal; and urinary tract infection for female patients only.
The NBHC Groton does not provide emergency or inpatient care. If you have a true emergency, (i.e., threat to life, limb or sight) call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. If on base, call (860) 694-3333 for emergency medical support. Emergency care does not require advance authorization. However, if you are a Tricare Prime patient, you or a family member must call the clinic appointment line at (888) 628-9633 within 24 hours to notify your Primary Care provider about your Emergency Room visit.
After-hours urgent care requires prior authorization from a provider. Urgent care services are medically necessary services which are required for illness or injury that would not result in further disability or death if not treated immediately, but require professional attention and have the potential to develop into such a threat if treatment is delayed longer than 24 hours. Urgent care conditions include, but are not limited to, sprains, sore throat, or rising temperature.
In an urgent care situation, call the Naval Health Clinic New England Appointment Call Center, open during clinic core business hours (888) 628-9633. After hours the messaging service will contact the provider “On Call”, who will contact you directly. The Provider will either advise you on how to handle your health care needs, suggest an appointment or authorize urgent care at a civilian ER or urgent care center.
Quality Management Department – Continuous Process Improvement, Risk Management, Patient Safety, Customer Service, and HIPAA are managed in the Quality Management Department. To submit concerns, recommendations, or compliments, the Quality Management Coordinator can be reached at (860) 694-5224. To submit comments using the command website, go to http:nhcne.med.navy.mil/nhcne.asp and follow the customer feedback link.
Appointment Call Center - All appointments are now scheduled through the Naval Health Clinic New England Appointment Call Center by calling (888) 628-9633. You may also use the Appointment Call Center to cancel or reschedule appointments, or leave a message for your provider.
This process offers you a quick and easy way to schedule appointments. It provides you more appointment times to choose from, personalized service from specially trained appointment agents, efficient and streamlined service, and direct contact with clinic personnel when needed.
Dress Code - Active duty personnel must be in the prescribed uniform of the day to be seen at our facility unless on leave or in a liberty status.
Eligibility - Listed below are the categories of persons eligible for medical care at the NBHC Groton. When only limited services are available, active duty personnel are given priority, while other beneficiaries are seen on a space available basis.
• Active duty members of the armed forces.
• TRICARE Prime enrollees, active duty family members, retirees and their family members not currently enrolled with USFHP.
• Members of the Commissioned Corps of the Public Health Service.
• Members of the Commissioned Corps of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration.
• Unremarried widows and widowers of deceased members of the armed forces on a space available basis, who are not enrolled in the USFHP.
• Parent/Parent-in-Law who possess a valid ID card.
• Reservists on active duty or injured while on active duty for training status.
A military ID card must be presented prior to treatment, unless a life-threatening emergency exists. Active duty personnel, retired military personnel and family members 10 years of age or older are required to present a valid identification card.
Sick call is available for active duty members at NBHC Groton. Submarine School students should call (860) 694-3743 for an appointment and then report to Undersea Medicine between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. Monday through Friday. All other active duty members may call (888) 628-9633 for an appointment.
Pharmacy – New prescriptions from civilian providers must be in hard-copy form; if newly prescribed or renewed medications are from clinic providers, these will be entered directly through NBHC Groton’s electronic medical record. In both cases, the patient or designee must visit the pharmacy to be interviewed and to activate the filling process. The medication must be on the clinic’s formulary (list of medications carried), the patient must be eligible in DEERS, have a clinic computer record, and he/she must have a military ID card. Copies of the formulary are available at the pharmacy and online at http://nhcne.med.navy.mil/index.asp for reference. Prescriptions can also be obtained through the Tricare Mail Order Pharmacy and at local retail pharmacies.
To obtain refills, patients should use the Pharmacy’s Call-in-Refill System by calling (877) 211-1126 or use the “online refills” choice online at http://nhcne.med.navy.mil/index.asp. The phone number and online site are also printed at the top of all prescription labels. Refilled prescriptions are ready to be picked up after three business days.
To meet HIPAA requirements, anyone acting for another ADULT (including a spouse or adult child of 18 yrs of age or older) MUST present the patient’s I.D. (or copy of front and back) AND a note stating that the patient grants you permission to act for them in this manner. This applies to all pharmacy services.
Over-The-Counter Medication Program - Select over-the-counter medications are currently available to patients eligible for service at the pharmacy. The program is designed to treat minor symptoms when a provider visit is not available. Patients must complete the form with all pertinent information; the form is then reviewed and screened for appropriateness and entered into the medical record. There are some limitations as to what can be dispensed due to patient age, pregnancy or sea status as well as the maximum of three medications per family per month.
Dental Program – The Dental Clinic is located in Building 575, next to the Naval Branch Health Clinic. Dental services are available for active duty only. The hours of operation are: Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The Dental Clinic is closed for lunch from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. Sick call hours are from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays. Call (860) 694-3736 for an appointment. In the event of a dental emergency, patients should call (860) 694-4123 (NBHC Groton Quarterdeck).
Substance Abuse Rehabilitation Program (SARP) – The SARP clinic is located in building 449, on the 3rd floor. The clinic supports all organizations at Naval Submarine Base New London, military branches in Southern New England and metropolitan commands in the CT, NY, and NJ area. SARP provides screening and assessments for the purpose of making a diagnostic recommendation on personnel who have either identified themselves or whom the command has identified as potential substance abusers, due to substance related incidents or concerns. These services are primarily provided to active duty members; however, military dependents over age 18 and retirees are seen on a case-by-case basis based on space availability.
PROGRAMS
- IMPACT: This is a 20-hour early intervention treatment program taught over a 3 day consecutive period.
- Outpatient and Intensive Outpatient Treatment Programs: Lasting up to 14 working days. This formalized treatment program consists of educational workshops, individual, and group counseling.
- Continuing Care: This service is delivered via group and/or individual counseling for members who have completed a formalized inpatient or outpatient treatment program. Patients must contact the respective SARP to schedule an appointment for entrance into this program.
- Programs also include facilitation of command outreach, GMT’s, and referral assistance.
For more information, call (860) 694-4837
Tricare is the Department of Defense’s health benefits program designed to allow Active Duty family members and retirees and their family members under the age of 65 to choose a medical plan that fits their family’s needs. In 2004, Tricare North Region was established for eligible military healthcare beneficiaries in 13 states including Connecticut. To find out more about Tricare, call (877) 874-2273 or visit your local Tricare Service Center, which is located at: 220 Route 12, Suite 6, Groton, CT 02340. Hours of operation are 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The current medical facility was opened at NAVSUBASENLON on April 1, 1974, when it was a Naval Submarine Medical Center. The facility became Naval Hospital Groton in 1983 and then, in 1998, joined with Naval Hospital Newport, and Naval Medical Clinic Portsmouth to be called “Naval Health Care New England.” In 1998, inpatient care was discontinued and the clinic became the Navy’s first free-standing Ambulatory Surgical Center. On Oct. 1, 2006, under guidance from the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, the clinic name officially changed to Naval Branch Health Clinic Groton.