New medical profiling process arrives at Peterson Published Jan. 15, 2008 By Corey Dahl 21st Space Wing Public Affairs PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- A new medical profiling process has begun here with the goal of helping more Airmen become fit enough to perform their duties and deploy. Peterson switched from the old profile system to a new, duty-limiting condition report in mid-December as part of an Air Force-wide directive. The new system electronically informs unit commanders and supervisors, in real-time, when a medic has determined one of their Airmen to have a duty-limiting condition. According to Maj. Miquelle Miller, Aerospace Medical Clinic flight commander, the idea of the new program is to keep unit leaders informed of their members' health, so they can decide how best to help each troop recover from injury or illness. "This way, unit commanders, supervisors and physical training leaders know right away when they have an Airman who's going to have a prolonged duty-limiting condition," she said. "This really puts everybody that's in charge of this active-duty member in the loop of communication." New forms that medics are required to fill out are also more specific about what an Airman can't do physically on the job or in a deployment situation. While the old system would simply state an Airman couldn't perform activities like running, push-ups or sit-ups, the new forms detail limitations on activities like bending and twisting, lifting heavy objects, climbing ladders and other job-related tasks. "The old profile system was a determination from the provider of what an active-duty member could not do during physical fitness," Major Miller said. "Now they say what they can't do in their place of duty or in a mobility situation. We're looking at more specifics. Can they bend and twist? Maybe they can't do sit-ups, but they might still be able to fill sand bags." The greater detail allows unit physical training leaders to better decide what an Airman can do during unit physical training. If someone has a minor problem, Major Miller said, such as shin splints, the leader might approve an alternate workout activity so the Airman can stay in shape without aggravating the injury. For larger problems, physical training leaders can refer their Airman to the Health and Wellness Center, where exercise experts can create an exercise and rehabilitation prescription for the injured member. The physical training leader can then make sure the unit member follows the prescription and recovers as quickly as possible. "It's really putting the whole fitness program under the unit's wing," Major Miller said. "Commanders and unit leaders are better informed and are able to oversee the whole process." The new system's improved accountability standards, real-time notification process and detailed forms will help Peterson's Airmen recover quickly from illness and injury, Major Miller said, a major need as the ongoing global war on terror makes deployments a continuous possibility. "We're really posturing the wing for success, and we're posturing our active duty to be truly physically fit and ready to deploy and defend our country," she said.