BY ORDER OF THE
SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE
AIR FORCE INSTRUCTION 44-176
8 SEPTEMBER 2017
Certified Current 22 April 2020
Medical
A
CCESS TO CARE CONTINUUM
COMPLIANCE WITH THIS PUBLICATION IS MANDATORY
ACCESSIBILITY: Publications and forms are available on the e-Publishing website at
RELEASABILITY: There are no releasability restrictions on this publication.
OPR: AFMSA/SG3S
Supersedes: AFI44-176, 30 October 2014
Certified by: AF/SG3/5
(Maj Gen Roosevelt Allen Jr.)
Pages: 65
AFMS Access to Care Policy and Procedures
This publication implements AFPD 44-1, Medical Operations. It provides guidance and
procedures for Access to Care (ATC) operations within the Air Force Medical Service (AFMS).
It establishes the roles, responsibilities, definitions and requirements for implementing,
sustaining and managing ATC for AFMS Military Treatment Facilities (MTFs). Organizational
alignment of these functions may vary between MTFs. It applies to individuals at all levels
including the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard (ANG), contract personnel and
volunteers who are working in military treatment facilities except where noted otherwise. This
publication may be supplemented at any level, but all supplements are routed to the Office of
Primary Responsibility (OPR) listed above for coordination prior to certification and approval.
Refer recommended changes and questions about this publication to the OPR listed above using
the AF Form 847, Recommendation for Change of Publication; route AF Forms 847 from the
field through the appropriate chain of command. The authorities to waive wing/unit level
requirements in this publication are identified with a Tier (“T-0, T-1, T-2, and T-3”) number
following the compliance statement. See AFI 33-360, Publications and Forms Management,
Table 1.1 for a description of the authorities associated with the Tier numbers. Submit requests
for waivers through the chain of command to the appropriate Tier waiver approval authority, or
alternately, to the Publication OPR for non-tiered compliance items. Ensure that all records
created as a result of processes prescribed in this publication are maintained IAW Air Force
Manual (AFMAN) 33-363, Management of Records, and disposed of IAW the Air Force
Records Disposition Schedule (RDS) in the Air Force Records Information Management System
(AFRIMS). Program Managers have a legally approved records disposition per the eGovernment
Act and National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) Bulletin 2010-02 that governs
