Newswise — ROCHESTER, Minn. — Today, Mayo Clinic announces ProPilot, a new program for corporate flight departments that offers bundled services designed to keep and get pilots back on the flight deck quickly and safely.
Mayo Clinic also announces today that the first member organization of ProPilot is the Young Presidents Organization (YPO). Pilots from hundreds of corporate flight departments belonging to YPO now will have access to a premium preventive health screening program provided by Mayo Clinic.
Mayo Clinic’s Section of Aerospace Medicine is launching the Mayo Clinic ProPilot Program on its Rochester, Minnesota, campus. The program features an age-tiered model of predetermined preventive health services offered to pilots annually. Member aviators have access to Mayo Clinic experts in Aviation Medicine, along with a team of nurses who provide a comprehensive preventive screening assessment in conjunction with their required Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification examination. If a medical condition is detected, it is often identified earlier in its course to prevent a lapse in certification eligibility, and Mayo flight physicians expedite any necessary medical waivers if a condition is detected.
“The goal of Mayo Clinic ProPilot is to mesh the very best of what we offer — a detailed preventive screening examination with the flight physical,” says Clayton Cowl, M.D., chair of the Division of Preventive, Occupational and Aerospace Medicine at Mayo Clinic and president of the Civil Aviation Medical Association. “Too often, pilots get substandard medical care, because they are worried about losing their medical certificate. They are flying some of the most valuable resources of a company to destinations around the globe. With ProPilot, we are able to advocate for the pilot with the FAA, allowing a pilot to keep [his or her] medical. We want nothing more than for our pilots to have an uninterrupted, long, healthy career.”
Corporate flight departments sign up for the program, after which appointments are prescheduled with a streamlined itinerary. Mayo Clinic flight physicians take on the role of flight department medical director by sending a dashboard of medically related information to the chief pilot at the end of the year.
“Many firms understand the importance of the annual inspection for their aircraft,” explains Mitch Nelson, program manager for Mayo Clinic ProPilot. “Premium flight departments also recognize that the most valuable part of the aircraft is the pilot. That’s our focus.”
Once enrolled, YPO members will have access to Mayo Clinic Aviation Medicine virtual education sessions that feature cutting-edge clinical information and the latest updates regarding FAA aeromedical certification information. “For YPO member pilots and those who manage a large flight department, this collaboration provides access to world-class health resources, enabling pilots to be proactive about their individual health,” says Scott Mordell, CEO of YPO.
“Before we came to the Mayo Clinic, some of our pilots were wondering if Mayo’s thoroughness would slow the process down or uncover irrelevant issues that would lead to delays and denials,” says Glenn Jones, director of aviation at Steelcase, Inc., a client of Mayo Clinic Aviation Medicine. “But, now we ask, ‘Why wouldn’t you come to Mayo, have great care, be able to trust your examiner and preserve your ability to fly?’”
For information regarding enrollment in the program, contact Mayo Clinic ProPilot at 507-266-2080, or email [email protected]. Learn more at www.mayoclinic.org/propilot.
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