Noninferiority Trial of a Simulated Kiosk for Remote Aviation Medical Exams

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) pilot stakeholders have raised concerns about limited access to Aviation Medical Examiners (AMEs) and Human Intervention Motivation Study (HIMS) AMEs in some U.S. regions due to rising demand and a shrinking examiner pool. This mirrors broader U.S. healthcare trends, where telemedicine is addressing provider shortages. To transition pilot exams from in-person to remote, the FAA’s Office of Aerospace Medicine requires evidence that remote exams are as effective as in-person ones. This builds on prior research showing that telemedicine technology can meet pilot medical exam needs. Since exams are performed by designated providers, this research will require collaboration with a healthcare system.