AirCARE1 was honored to be featured in a recent article in the International Travel & Health Insurance Journal (ITIJ). The article was a piece focused on the importance of flight debriefs between pilots and medical crew. ITIJ says:
Post-transport debriefs form an important part of an air ambulance company’s efforts to continually learn and improve the service they are offering. Air ambulance transport missions require team members from both the aviation and medical professions to all work in concert to make them successful. While they may well be communicating throughout the flight, a debriefing meeting held at the conclusion of the mission offers an opportunity to discuss what went well and opportunities to improve. A debrief can therefore be considered a useful tool in the pursuit of quality.
AirCARE1 President, Denise Waye was highlighted throughout this article as it related to the purpose, approach, and benefits of conducting proper flight debriefs. Here is what Ms. Waye had to say:
Increased Safety & Operational Efficiency
The first aspect of this is the practical benefits, as outlined by Denise Waye, President of AirCARE1, who said that debriefs have helped the US-based provider to ‘improve processes as well as led to increased safety and efficiency of operations’. Waye also commented: “Properly done, mission debriefs are a fantastic tool in increasing employee morale by stating what was done well, while providing constructive feedback for improvement.”
A Group Approach to Debriefs
At AirCARE1, debriefs involve all staff involved in the flight process, including medical crew, pilots, operations centre staff and also management, said Denise Waye. Meanwhile, the communications centre performs a separate written debrief that reviews any logistical issues that may have occurred. These reports are reviewed and analysed by management and the outcomes are discussed with the communications centre during regularly scheduled meetings, she said.
Empowering Crew Members for Constant Improvement
The debrief is a great way to elicit feedback and provides a forum to discuss and identify any issues, said Denise Waye. For issues that arise, staff submit a process improvement / hazard identification (PIHF) form. The form identifies the hazard or process that needs to be improved, and the crewmember can also suggest a solution. Waye explained: “The PIHF is then submitted for review where a committee, including management, can analyse and make suggestions that can include new policies, procedures or training. Filling out and submitting a PIHF empowers a crewmember to be part of improving a process.”
Fair Crewmember Treatment
AirCARE1 utilises a debriefing structure that focuses on improving processes. A good debriefing structure is one where everyone feels valued and that their opinion will be heard, said Waye. “This includes using positive feedback in front of everyone and negative feedback on a one-on-one basis.”
Click here if you would like to read the full article on ITIJ.
