349th Medical Group announces success of new Fitness Clinic

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Cindy Alejandrez
  • 349th Public Affairs
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  The 349th Air Mobility Wing's Fitness Clinic program, which is administered by providers from the 349th Aerospace Medicine Squadron, has delivered on its promise of dramatically reducing fitness exceptions and paperwork backlogs.

Based on a similar program at the 452nd Aerospace Medicine Squadron, March Air Reserve Base, Calif., the Fitness Clinic went from concept in late April to implementation within two months. In addition to addressing fitness restrictions, the clinic also deals with mobility restrictions.

The program requires members to bring in private medical documentation only during the Fitness Clinic hours, and not at any other times, to be seen without an appointment. The average wait time during the first Fitness Clinic was 45 minutes, instead of the 30 to 60 days it previously took to complete the process. The process also reduces the amount of 29 day commander exemptions. During that first Fitness Clinic members of the 349th AMDS saw 30 wing members. All but two of the members left with a physical profile.

The overall execution of the clinic was flawless, as the staff provided assistance for the steady flow of patients, explained Tech. Sgt. Nikole Napier, 349th AMDS, the NCOIC of medical records deployment. Thanks to the new process, members are able to take their fitness tests within the following day.

"The success of our new Fitness Clinic can be attributed one thing: empowering smart and energetic NCOs to use innovation and benchmarking to tackle a specific problem. Viola, the creation of a one stop same day clinic for fitness profiles," said Chief Master Sgt. Mark Kloeppel, superintendent of the 349th Medical Group.

Kloeppel referred to NCOs such as Napier and Staff Sgt. Dolores Rodriguez, 349th AMDS, a health services journeyman, who made the clinic possible.

As the process moves forward, the team will look to make room for further improvements and implement new ideas. One of those initial improvements has been a decrease in waiting times.

"As we continue to do this, we are getting people out of the door much faster," said Rodriguez.

For more information on the Fitness Clinic, contact the 349th AMDS at 707-424-3812.