To deal with these differences, Helmreich and Merritt have helped develop training programs called Crew Resource Management that have proven to be highly successful in increasing the effectiveness of flight crews. This type of training is now required around the world. The medical aspect of his research was sparked when physicians at the University of Basel in Switzerland invited him to adapt his approaches from the cockpit to the operating room. Acceptance of this application is growing in the United States. In February, he spoke to a patient forum on medical safety sponsored in Houston by the American Medical Association, Hermann Hospital and the University of Texas Medical Branch.
Plans are under way to extend the research in U.S. hospitals.
The technology is not confined to aviation and medicine, Helmreich said. It has common threads to any teams that use technology, including oil tanker crews, nuclear power plants and teams that develop software or work in office settings. Helmreich's interest in teamwork in stressful situations began in the 1960s, when he was a naval officer serving on warships in the Pacific, Atlantic and Mideast. His current research in aviation is backed by a grant from the Federal Aviation Administration. A new award from the Daimler-Benz Foundation in Germany will support the integration of the research in aviation and medicine.