Leadership

The 23d Medical Group leadership poses for a photo with the American Red Cross of South Georgia directors April 10, 2015, at Moody Air Force Base, Ga. The ARC plans to recruit and train volunteers to work in the 23d MDG as greeters. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Kathleen D. Bryant/Released)

Signing

U.S. Air Force Col. Peter Breed, 23d Medical Group commander, and Terri Jenkins, American Red Cross of South Georgia executive director, sign a memorandum of understanding April 10, 2015, at Moody Air Force Base, Ga. The memorandum allows ARC volunteers to work in the 23d MDG to help reduce patient wait times. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Kathleen D. Bryant/Released)

The team

Members from the 23d Medical Group and members from the American Red Cross of South Georgia pose for a photo April 10, 2015, at Moody Air Force Base, Ga. The ARC will train volunteers from the base and local area on how to work with patients in the 23d MDG. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Kathleen D. Bryant/Released)

23d MDG pairs with ARC in new volunteer program

Published April 16, 2015
By Airman 1st Class Kathleen D. Bryant
23 Wing Public Affairs

MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- The 23d Medical Group partnered with the American Red Cross of South Georgia to bring volunteers into the clinic April 10, here.

The agreement allows the ARC to train volunteers as greeters in the 23d MDG to help reduce patient wait times.

"It will increase our ability to provide better customer service to our patients," said U.S. Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Tarah Baxley, 23d Medical Support Squadron superintendent. "Take the pharmacy for example, [the ARC volunteers] will free up technicians to fill prescriptions by providing extra personnel at the front window."

Before being integrated into the 23d MDG, the volunteers will be trained on the internal policies that include emergency procedures, infection control, the HIPAA privacy rule and patient safety.

"Anyone who's interested in volunteering will go through a few processes," said Terri Jenkins, American Red Cross of South Georgia executive director. "They'll take training through the medical group, and then also become Red Cross volunteers through an online management system."

After the volunteers are trained, they will be placed in different areas of the 23d MDG such as pharmacy, records, dental, radiology and at the front desk as greeters.

"[The volunteers] will help us get our patients in and out faster," said Capt. Leighcraft Shakes, 23d MDSS Pharmacy officer in charge. "We will utilize them in the dispensing stations up front, getting the medicine out."

Personnel in the pharmacy are excited for the volunteers to get started, said Shakes.

"This will help the morale of the Pharmacy," said Shakes. "Back here everything is so fast-paced and it gets stressful. Most of the Airmen are on their feet all day. The volunteers will help with the workflow."

Anyone interested in volunteering at the 23d MDG through the ARC, should use one of the following sources for more information:

· Contact the ARC office at 229-242-7404
· Email Talia Eltzroth at talia.eltzroth@redcross.org
· Visit http://www.redcross.org/ga/south

Sign up here: http://www.redcross.org/ga/valdosta/volunteer/become-a-volunteer