US Air Force implements medical readiness program

The U.S. Air Force 633rd Medical Group’s new program aims to reduce overdue Individual Medical Readiness statuses throughout the medical group.

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Nathaniel Rasmussen, 633rd Aerospace Medicine Squadron periodic health assessment NCO in charge, shares his idea with fellow Medical Right Start Program working group members at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, Jan. 23, 2019. The working group recognizes the importance of including members of all ranks in the meetings to gain insight on potential areas of improvement.
Credit: U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Monica Roybal

The U.S. Air Force 633rd Medical Group implemented a newprogram that incorporates individual medical readiness requirements into theFirst-Term Airmen Course curriculum at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia.

The Medical Right Start Program, initially launched in July2018, aims to reduce overdue Individual Medical Readiness (IMR) statusesthroughout the medical group, enabling airmen to focus on the JBLE mission.

“When airmen complete FTAC and the three weeks of detailsthat follow, they go to their jobs and they’re bombarded with so much that theyare not concentrating on completing medical requirements,” said U.S. Air ForceMaster Sgt. Teronda L. Hunter, 633rd Dental Squadron clinical flight chief.“The medical requirements end up getting pushed to the side and forgotten aboutuntil they’re ready to deploy or their name comes up red six months later in aunit deployment manager briefing. This program will prevent that lapse.”

The program allows for FTAC airmen to spend the day touringmedical group facilities under the guidance of an assigned escort. The airmenare divided into groups that rotate through the Langley Dental Clinic, ImmunizationClinic, Optometry Clinic and the Public Health Clinic.

According to Hunter, not only will airmen benefit fromcompleting their IMR checklist on time, they will also have the chance to learnfirst-hand how to utilize the JBLE medical services that are available to them.“This is vital information, especially for new airmen going to their firstbase,” Hunter said. “As the airmen are walking around completing requirements,we also make sure to brief them on the Operational Medical Clinic services andthe cough and cold clinic basics.”

Hunter assembled a group made up of 633rd MDG membersranging from senior NCOs to junior airmen. Hunter said it was important toincorporate various ranks into their bi-monthly meetings to gain insight on howto improve program procedures and continue to work toward innovation.

“A big focus of our working group is a continuing process ofimprovement and we are always looking at what can be added to the checklist,”Hunter said. “This isn’t about leadership taking an idea and running with it.Our airmen need to understand how these processes work as a ‘tiger team’ andunderstand what a continuing process of improvement really is.”

The group continues to build upon the program’s foundationand is steadily incorporating other JBLE facilities into its process. Since thestart of the program, the group has also integrated 633rd BioenvironmentalEngineering members so airmen can complete their gas mask requirements.

Chief Master Sgt. Andre Gaskin, 633rd MDG dentalsuperintendent and working group member, said the medical group is alwaysreviewing initiatives to revamp current procedures. Their next goal is to bringGreen Dot training into the Medical Right Start Program.

“Our primary focus is our operational airmen,” Gaskin said.“Providing A-1 [top quality] services to our warfighters is imperative becausereadiness is our number one initiative to ensure our airmen are ready to go atmoment’s notice. We get all this stuff done up front so they can go to theirunit, focus on upgrade training as well as career development courserequirements and become a phenomenal warfighter.”