Aviation Medical Examiner 2012 Feedback Survey: Content Analysis of Recommendations

摘要

The Civil Aerospace Medical Institute (CAMI), as a component of the Office of Aerospace Medicine (OAM), surveyed the population of aviation medical examiners (AMEs), as federal designees, in 2012 to assess their satisfaction with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airman medical certification services and to gather their feedback on how to improve those services. Reported here are results from an indepth content analysis of AME recommendations for improving medical certification services, systems/tools, processes, and policies. One in five AMEs (438 of 2,118: 392 domestic and 46 MFI military, federal, international) that met the survey selection criteria responded to at least one of the open text items. Of those, most reported being a senior AME (75% domestic, 81% MFI). All domestic and international regions were represented by the respondents. Of note, the majority of those providing recommendations who reported use of a medical certification service in the past 12 months also reported satisfaction with the service. AME feedback regarding development of organizational services identified needs for: training, real time/anytime access to FAA physicians, specific information, timely communication and specific content in correspondence, speedier FAA decisions, reduced costs, quality interactions with FAA personnel, and an increase in FAA staff. Feedback regarding enhancements to systems/tools included need for: new capabilities, ready and stable access, end user support in effective and efficient task performance, easier to use and read interfaces and printouts, and adjustment to existing capabilities.