Narrative:

En route from las to bos, had passenger with possible heart attack. Contacted medical service via phone patch from company radio. Doctor asked to speak directly with on-board health professional treating patient. This was to convey treatment options. Because of condition of patient and possible need to divert, I allowed health professional to enter flight deck. In post 9/tue/01 environment, I question whether allowing anyone other than people whose identify can be verified into the flight deck is prudent. A means of air-to-ground communication from the cabin should be available on our passenger flts. In this time of strengthened cockpit doors, federal marshals, and armed pilots, it seems ridiculous that someone could get into the cockpit legitimately by posing as a physician or nurse. While the life of 1 ill passenger is of course important, so is the safety of the entire aircraft. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: there are no phones available for passenger use in the cabin. The health professional's credentials were checked and the assessment was made that assessed to be legitimate.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNAUTH ENTRY TO THE COCKPIT INFLT WAS ALLOWED TO A HEALTH PROFESSIONAL TO COORD CARE FOR AN ONBOARD MEDICAL PROB.

Narrative: ENRTE FROM LAS TO BOS, HAD PAX WITH POSSIBLE HEART ATTACK. CONTACTED MEDICAL SVC VIA PHONE PATCH FROM COMPANY RADIO. DOCTOR ASKED TO SPEAK DIRECTLY WITH ON-BOARD HEALTH PROFESSIONAL TREATING PATIENT. THIS WAS TO CONVEY TREATMENT OPTIONS. BECAUSE OF CONDITION OF PATIENT AND POSSIBLE NEED TO DIVERT, I ALLOWED HEALTH PROFESSIONAL TO ENTER FLT DECK. IN POST 9/TUE/01 ENVIRONMENT, I QUESTION WHETHER ALLOWING ANYONE OTHER THAN PEOPLE WHOSE IDENT CAN BE VERIFIED INTO THE FLT DECK IS PRUDENT. A MEANS OF AIR-TO-GND COM FROM THE CABIN SHOULD BE AVAILABLE ON OUR PAX FLTS. IN THIS TIME OF STRENGTHENED COCKPIT DOORS, FEDERAL MARSHALS, AND ARMED PLTS, IT SEEMS RIDICULOUS THAT SOMEONE COULD GET INTO THE COCKPIT LEGITIMATELY BY POSING AS A PHYSICIAN OR NURSE. WHILE THE LIFE OF 1 ILL PAX IS OF COURSE IMPORTANT, SO IS THE SAFETY OF THE ENTIRE ACFT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THERE ARE NO PHONES AVAILABLE FOR PAX USE IN THE CABIN. THE HEALTH PROFESSIONAL'S CREDENTIALS WERE CHKED AND THE ASSESSMENT WAS MADE THAT ASSESSED TO BE LEGITIMATE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.