MARTINSBURG, W.Va. –
The 167th Medical Group tested a new physical health assessment process, referred to as the PHA Quick, over June’s unit training assembly.
The medical clinic temporarily reconfigured its space to more efficiently service Airmen.
The new process is, in part, a result of the changing mission and requirements within the Air National Guard’s Medical Service. Increased Title 10 requirements are shifting duty-status guardsmen positions away from the home station support towards patient movement capabilities.
The clinic, on average, completes 66 PHA’s over a 16 hour period each UTA. After temporarily converting administrative offices into exam rooms or lab space, and creating a waiting area outside, 147 PHA’s were completed in nine hours.
“The existing design of the medical facility has multiple bottlenecks, but during the PHA Quick process, the MDG temporarily modifies the flow and configuration of the clinic to allow for an increase in patient throughput,” said Capt. Matthew Wine, the 167th Medical Group administrative officer.
Wine said future PHA Quick events will allow the clinic to conduct 450 PHA’s over two days.
The process is designed to satisfy the majority of individual medical readiness requirements for the entire year in a single visit, Wine explained. The goal is for Airmen in flying status to complete their PHAs within an hour and non-flyers within 30 minutes.
Wine said they hope to have the PHA Quick events quarterly or biannually.
“This streamlined efficiency gives time back to the Wing for training while improving the medical readiness posture, enabling a rapid response to any local, state or federal mission,” Wine said.