Crew Resource Management Use in U.S. Air Force Flight and Family Medicine Clinics

Abstract

Crew resource management (CRM) is the effective use of all available resources-human, equipment, and information to ensure mission completion and reduce mishaps. The purpose of this study was to describe patient safety-related attitudes of U.S. Air Force flight surgeons and family physicians and ascertain the impact of Team Strategies and Tools to Enhance Performance and Patient Safety (TeamSTEPPS), Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH), and aviation CRM (aCRM) training on those attitudes. Active duty Air Force flight and family medicine physicians were surveyed in a cross-sectional manner with a web-based, Air Force enhanced Safety Attitudes Questionnaire (SAQ). Responses were scored according to published SAQ computation scales and analyzed with Excel statistical tools and SPSS statistical software. Attitudes among Air Force flight surgeons and family physicians were similar to one another, generally positive with regard to teamwork, safety, and stress recognition, and less so in other SAQ domains. Training in TeamSTEPPS, PCMH, and aCRM was not associated with more positive patient safety-related attitudes. Air Force physicians trained in CRM-related concepts did not perceive higher levels of teamwork, safety, job satisfaction, stress recognition, confidence in leadership, or work conditions. Rank and major command as covariates were weakly associated with differences in attitudes. Training in TeamSTEPPS, PCMH, or aCRM was not associated with improvement in safety-related attitudes among Air Force flight surgeons or family physicians. Further study is warranted to ascertain the effectiveness of such programs, either in their concepts, deployment, and/or sustainment.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 30, 2013
Accession Number
ADA588100

Entities

People

  • Anthony P. Tvaryanas
  • M. Maupin
  • Mark J. Kinchen
  • Michael D. Jacobson
  • Wayne L. Chappelle

Organizations

  • United States Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Families (Human)
  • Family Medicine
  • Health Care
  • Health Services
  • Hospitals
  • Job Satisfaction
  • Knowledge Management
  • Medical Personnel
  • Military Medicine
  • Physicians
  • Resource Management
  • Spreadsheet Software
  • Surveys
  • Teamwork
  • Therapy
  • Training

Fields of Study

  • Medicine

Readers

  • Aviation Science / Aeronautics.
  • Medical or Health Care Field.
  • Military Leadership and Professional Education.