81st MDG wins seven medical service awards Published Jan. 9, 2013 By Steve Pivnick 81st Medical Group Public Affairs KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- Members of the 81st Medical Group have earned one team and six individual honors at the Air Education and Training Command in 2012 Air Force Medical Service Awards. The 81st Medical Support Squadron's medical information management flight is the Surgeon General's Medical Information Services Team of the Year. Among the accomplishments of the 50-member flight were completing more than 36,000 work orders, tracking surgery trays and instruments and supporting 499 births, 2,600 surgeries and 22,000 emergency room encounters. The flight was also the Air Force's lead site for digital telepath, automated information and data collection and essentris initiatives and was tasked with evaluating seven systems as well as accreditation of four others. The unit led a $10 million congressionally-funded research and development real-time location services project, proving the concept and attaining validation. Airman 1st Class Andrea Capela, 81st Diagnostics and Therapeutics Squadron nutritional medicine flight, is the Outstanding Diet Therapy Airman of the Year. Her nomination noted she aided production in the Air Force's second largest nutritional medicine operation with more than 260,000 meals served and $600,000 in subsistence. Directing the flight's quality control, she inspected more than 2,000 patient trays, alerting staff of discrepancies which she corrected on the spot, averting 50 potential incidents. She also conducted 1,500 patient-meal rounds during which she updated preferences and collected selection menus -- she received 100 percent positive patient feedback. During 477 inpatient screenings, Capela identified 82 patients at nutritional risk, then notified the registered dietician, ensuring the patients received appropriate medical nutrition therapy. Airman 1st Class Jason Boyd, 81st Medical Operations Squadron cardiopulmonary lab technician, is the Cardiopulmonary Laboratory Airman of the Year. His nomination stated that during Phase I training in San Antonio, he was a squadron red rope managing 12 student leaders and 200 trainees and received the 59th Training Squadron's Top III Leader ship Award. As cardiopulmonary Phase II class tutor, he held study sessions giving tips to three members and increasing the class grade point average by more than 20 percent. He also responded to 10 "code blues" -- performing chest compression and manual ventilation -- and raised the chance of patient survival by 50 percent. In addition, he provided training to the intensive care unit staff. He taught 20 personnel the use of oxygen devices and aerosol therapy, increasing their knowledge and skill set. Senior Airman Robert Chambers, 81st MDTS diagnostic imaging apprentice, is the Outstanding Diagnostic Imaging Airman of the Year. Among his achievements, he employed $3.5 million-worth of equipment and conducted quality control review of 2,000 exams. He was named Diagnostic Imaging "Tech of the Month" three times, "No. 1 of 24 flight Airmen." Chambers completed 2,500 X-ray images and operating room cases and scanned 200 computed tomography exams with a 2 percent repeat rate that shattered the 8 percent national average. "Developing faster than his peers," his nomination stated, "he was chosen for a solo night shift position six months early, providing 24/7 ancillary support." Chambers also coached 17 Phase II pupils, teaching them 70 qualifying taskings which enabled their career progression and earned an "outstanding" during a 382nd Training Group inspection. Maj. (Dr.) Robert Cromer, 81st Surgical Operations Squadron and General Surgery Program Director, was named Physician Educator of the Year. His nomination observed he directs the largest Air Force-sponsored general surgery residency with 22 residents and graduated three surgeons in June 2012. He was appointed as associate examiner to the American Board of Surgery for the oral board certifying examination. Cromer also comprehensively prepared for the re-accreditation visit and transition to the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education's new accreditation system. In addition, he developed a residency education committee to standardize the residency training platform across integrated sites. The nomination noted he was, "a productivity leader; general surgery attained annualized case load and currency goals for the first time in 2012." He served as the 81st MDG's advanced trauma life support course director conducting three courses per year, training more than 50 providers from the Air Force, Navy National Guard and Reserves and saving $40,000. Lt. Col. Winnie Lok-Park, commander of the 81st Diagnostics and Therapeutics Squadron's pharmacy flight, was named the 2012 Biomedical Specialist Category II Field Grade Officer. She was cited for leading AETC's second-largest pharmacy flight, directing an 84-person staff with a $32 million annual budget while serving 47,000 eligible beneficiaries. Her nomination noted she promoted delivery of the highest quality service, dispensing 1.5 million annual prescriptions and intravenous medication plus 3,000 clinic orders. "A medication management champion," she monitored compliance with The Joint Commission, Health Services Inspection, federal, state and Air Force standards. As readiness skills verification and disaster team chief, the colonel trained 50 members, assuring mission readiness and supporting 52 deployment taskings. She also was recognized for directing the first robust mass prophylaxis point of dispensing exercise, exceeding 24 goals and receiving an "excellent" rating. Lt. Col. John Childs, director of musculoskeletal research with the 81st MSGS, was selected the Air Force Biomedical Clinician Category II Field Grade Officer of the Year. Among his achievements, his nomination cited his leadership of a $21 million musculoskeletal research agenda. He published 22 papers, created 27 presentations, 12 abstracts and 15 posters and received three international awards. He integrated the physical therapy clinic in primary care, a first for the AFMS. Partnering with eight primary care managers, capacity was increased by 60 percent, saving $480,000. In addition, Childs was awarded a $390,000 Air Force Medical Support Agency grant to study lower back pain care quality, cutting costs by 40 percent, slashing profiles by 30 percent and saving $100,000. He also launched a $2.5 million Battlefield Airman injury prevention study which cut attrition by 25 percent, improved fitness by 30 percent and resulted in $3 million in lower injury costs. All now compete for the Air Force-level awards.