MDG examines AFSO21 process to improve PHA service Published Nov. 1, 2007 By Staff Sgt. Tammie Moore 52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany -- The 52nd Medical Group is taking steps to simplify, streamline and improve their physical health assessment process through their first Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century event. During the event members of the medical group met with members of the AFSO21 office, who facilitated the process, to look at methods they could use to provide more efficient service to their military patients during annual PHA. The group made the decision to assign personnel to work with just the PHA process, said Maj. Paul Miller, 52nd Medical Operations Squadron nurse manager and deputy flight commander for the family practice flight. The new PHA process which is designed to improve customer's service will provide all non-flight medicine PHA services in building 137. "We are combining six rooms in a row for the PHA process in building 137," said Staff Sgt. Leslie Cook, 52nd MDOS aerospace medical services craftsman. "The rooms are located where Tri Care is now; across the hall from the lab. We are moving Tri Care where the current PHA process is now at the opposite end of the building. There will soon be a Tri Care cell with its own waiting area." Within the year the 52nd MDG will move the flight and occupational PHAs with area family practice. "It will literally be a one-stop-shop," Sergeant Cook said. Seventy percent of the people getting a PHA will not have to leave the building. The other 30 percent of patients will only need to take a short trip to flight medicine for the final signing of their paperwork. These short trips to flight medicine will stop as soon as we merge the flight medicine PHA with family practice." The AFSO21 steps will provide patients faster services. Technicians will have resources to give required immunization and draw blood for lab work. "Paperwork will be decreased by 50 percent and the PHA will be tailor made for the patients with individualized pamphlets and counseling," Sergeant Cook said. "This is going to be a very streamlined process compared to how it is today," Sergeant Cook said. "Patient feedback and the AFSO21 event is how we devised this new system. We have thought way outside the box for this and hope it is what our patients have been looking for. Everyone involved is very excited." After participating in his first AFSO21 event Major Miller recognized the potential of the program. The AFSO21 is a lot of work, but a great process to make things better, he said.