Contents
Consists of twenty medical situations that were submitted to the FAA Medical Certification Division. My Case is # 18.
I have deleted identifying information when I deemed it appropriate.
Gene Whitt
Case 19
I am also a new pilot who has had an experience somewhat similar to yours. I got my third-class medical certificate last June. The FARs give the FAA 60 days to rescind the AME's issuance of a medical certificate. After the expiration of the 60-day period, Dr. Silberman demanded that I supply a ton of cardiovascular data on threat of cancellation of my certificate. (My application disclosed that I take medication (in minute quantities) to keep my blood pressure within safe limits.) Judging from the number of reports of pilots who have been jerked around by Aeromedical Certification, I am beginning to worry about the outcome of my case. I have undergone the tests Silberman demanded but have not yet received the results (though the technicians told me everything was normal).
Case 18
September 13, 2000
I took my Class-2 medical and recieved my Medical Certificate from my AME without having to go through OKC. I had with| me a copy of the PSA test numbers which indicated that I was 'normal'. Additionally, I had a note from my doctor stating that the probability of my death was no greater than that of the general population.
October 23, 1999
Well, (I like to start out deep) At exactly the end of three weeks I have finally heard from the FAA at OKC. Here is what A Warren S. Silberman, D.O., Manager wrote>
Dear Mr. Whitt,
We have reviewed your application for medical certification and note that you have a history of postate cancer. Before we can determine your eligibility for medical certification, we require,for our review, copies of all medical records from the hospitals, consultants, medical boards, and physician pertaining to the above.
Please submit a current status report from your attending physician to include prognosis, follow-up plan, type, dosage, frequency of use, and side effects of current medication(s), and results of current studies deemed appropriate.
Your aviation medical examiner, Dr..., stated that letters from Dr. ... and Dr. ... were attached, but we have not received them. Enclosed are forms for you to give to the hospital/docotrs in authorizing release of this information.
Use of the above reference numbers on future correspondence and/or reports will aid us in locating your file.
Signed.
I didn't know how they would do it but they did. Three people witnessed the inclusion and sealing of the Fed-Ex mailer of my Medical application and two sheets from my doctors giving me a clean bill of health. Now the FAA says they didn't get them. well they got them but lost them.
Sounds sort of familiar as when one facility gives an unnecessary handoff to the next facility even though you have equested cancellation of services. A make work program for the fellows down the line.
The essential of my doctor's letters state several important points:
Dr. #1
He no longer has any significant symptoms... He appears well...Examinations are unremarkable. ...clinically free of disease with normalization of PSA.
Dr. #2
Mr. Whitt has completed definitive treatment for prostate cancer and is experiencing no adverse effects. From the urological standpoint he may resume all activites without restriction. His recent PSA is l.0 and there is no evidence of cancer progression.
Now I have to start all over. I must give the FAA clearance to have access to all my past records leading up to the final statments of my doctors, above. They will take a minimum of three weeks to send for these records. Then I get to wait an additional six weeks while all my records are reviewed (minimum).
There is something drastically wrong with the system that seems to take such a wrong-headed approach to a persons future. I feel that I, and apparently many others are, being required to work against a system engulfed in complexity just because it is possible to make simple decisions complex.
I'll bet, by the time this is over, I'll be able to post a whole new web site about the bureaucracy within the Aeromedical Certification Division.
Gene Whitt
Contacted AOPA
Phoned and was told that they could not help until after seven weeks.
Emailed AVweb
Received the following:
I can empathize with your problem. Unfortunately, depending on the type of cancer and how long ago you finished you treatments, you may not have even needed to be deferred to OKC at all.
With a cancer patient who has been out of therapy for more than three months (with certain exceptions like melanoma), and letters from your treating physician which stating you are in good health, in remission, and do not have residual effects, your AME could have called the Regional Flight Surgeon to ask for permission to issue right on the spot. If your AME was lazy, he just deferred you application leaving the work for OKC and you waiting.
As a member of the EAA's Aeromedical Council, this has been a recurrent problem we have seen from many pilots in similar situations. Even the FAA representatives representatives at Oshkosh agree it is a problem which makes more work for them also. Hopefully, with the new computer system which went on line October 1, the delays will shorten significantly.
10-29-99
Well, I have another episode in my adventure through FAA Medical Hell.
A week ago I mailed copies of the doctor's reports about my being clean and well after completing cancer treatments last June. These, unlike the FedEx copies were sent registered mail with return receipt requested. A week later and no receipt.
Yesterday, I made repeated calls to the Oakland FSDO in an effort to get the phone number of the Aeromedical Certification Division. No phone numbers are listed on their stationary. The FSDO has an interesting way to control
messages. The system requires that you spell the first four letters of the name of any person there before you can leave a message. If you don't know a name, there is no way you can talk to anyone. I will.try to learn the name of the recepionist l my wife permitting. After my fifth or sixth call someone picked up the phone and gave me the number I needed. Today I tried calling the FSDO again and had no trouble getting the recepionist. Shirley gave me the secret numbers that work every time any time.
Today,
After repeated efforts to get through to someone who would answer the phone, I finally began to call about two minutes before they were supposed to begin answering the phones. When their answering machine began to function I was immediately advised that all personel were busy. After ten minutes Dusty spoke to me.
Her first remark was that there was nothing she could do for me because the computers were down. Her basic response is that once a medical is under review, it will take a minimum of 30 days up to 45 days to have a medical reviewed. I pleaded for help for about ten minutes before she agreed to let me talk with her supervisor. She is one of four people who answer the phones when you want to determine the status of a medical application. These four people have a supervisor who will take on difficult cases like mine.
Dusty put me on hold and popped back every five minutes to tell me it would just take a minute. After 25 minutes Fuschia came to the phone. I gave her my case reference number as listed when they lost my first medical records. Initially, she was unable to find anything after 1998. Again I pleaded my case and she put me on hold. Twenty minutes later she came on line again.
Good news, a search of the mail room turned up my registered letter with the doctor's reports. She indicated that she would send them to review. I asked to talk to the people at review. Apparently, this is a no-no area where people do not have names, responsibility nor accountability. Fuschia said she would try to expedite my case.I can only hope.
In both Dusty's and Fuschia's remarks I got the impression that they were paddling up-stream as best they could but were being overwhelmed by the mass of paperwork. It would seem to me that the FAA would help their image and public relations by putting more money into this area of human impact and forget about giving tickets. A 24-hour operation seems merited. I wonder if it would improve things by making it a profit making free enterprise?
Gene Whitt
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