Dive Medicals

[scubadada]

Blame the insurance companies, not the dive industry.
The form is only invasive if you let it be. Just give the dive shop the signed page only, with no other info required.
Get the page signed when you get your annual physical.
Ignore all the questions....they are only there to let the shop decide if you need a signature. Just provide the signature, whether you need to or not.

Perfect advice

I have been diving actively for 28 years, land-based and liveaboard. Medical clearance has only been required for formal training. My last PADI training was in 2005. I did SDI Solo in 2013 and Recreational Avelo Diver in 2023. For both of these, I turned in only signed page 3 of the Diver Medical form, the Physician's Evaluation Form. This was entirely acceptable.

 

[dmaziuk]

I did my dive medical yesterday.
Happy to say I passed, signed, stamped and dated.

I photocopy that page just for the above reason.
Just saves a lot of 'drama' here in Australia.

AFAIK Australia has a network of "dive-certified" GPs and at least back when I lived there, GP visits were covered by Medicare (edit: "medicare" doesn't mean Down Under what it means Up Over here).

Here in 'Murka GP visits are "affordable" and not every family doctor is comfortable signing the "fit to dive" clearance. (I'm told -- mine had no problem signing it back when I did the OW course, is is possible that she wouldn't now because e.g. our HMO's malpractice insurance rules about signing some random medical clearances changed since.)

There is a difference.

There is also the part where dive OPs ask for the form that start with "in order to participate in dive training ..." and don't provide any training. That's just wrong.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Now that I am 60, I plan to have my doc sign an RSTC diver medical form for me at my annual exam. I may not need it, but I'd like to have it just in case. If needed, I would only provide the medical clearance portion (page 3) as that is all that is relevant to the dive operator. Pages 1 & 2 are for the physician and the patient.

When it comes to liability releases and dive medical forms, I have no plans to take on the insurance industry. Life is way too short. It is what it is and I want to dive, so I am fine signing the releases. If we get to the point where charter operators want a medical clearance for those of us older folks, so be it. I won't necessarily like it, but I'll have the medical clearance to provide if necessary.

 

[Edward3c]

The Dive Industry is significantly hurting the entire Dive Community with the enormously invasive medical questionnaire. The industry loses many customers and dive community members who are frankly driven away by the personally invasive nature of the questionnaire. Frankly, it's none of their business. A medical questionnaire is not required for swimming lessons or for snow skiing, yet many people die swimming after having taken lessons and many skiers die at resorts.
I also don't trust the Dive Industry to properly protect my health record. I really don’t trust the Dive Agencies and local dive shops with this very personal data.
Frankly, I'm put off by the personal nature of the questionnaire and am repulsed by filling it out. I cringe when asking dive customers to fill one out.
I'm also repulsed by the Dive Industry's approach to liability. Dive Agencies seem to only be concerned about protecting themselves (CYA) with the excessive number of liability forms and the invasive medical questionnaire required every time a potential customer seems to be in contact with the Industry or a local dive shop. I get a sense of hostility from the Agencies (or feel it towards them) and in turn the local dive shops when working through the multiple liability forms.
Am I the only one who believes the Industry is making a massive mistake is their approach to liability and the invasive nature of the dive medical questionnaire? Are we losing dive community members and potential new divers due to the invasive questionnaire and Industry approach to liability?

What evidence do you have to support your argument. Medicals originated because of a number of early fatalities. Insurance, well that’s society that pushed that be making claims. BSAC in the U.K. introduced ’member to member’ insurance after the relatives of a diving fatality threatened to sue the dive organiser, club and agency in the mid 1970s.

 

[boulderjohn]

The Dive Industry as a whole is a huge business and should stand up to the insurance companies that drive the medical questionairre requirement. You don't see it in the Snow Skiing Industry

The dive industry is not remotely as big as industries like skiing. Skiing got liability laws passed that make it nearly impossible for them to be successfully sued for anything; scuba has no such legal protection.

Injuries and fatalities in skiing are usually the result of some sort of collision. Fatalities in scuba are usually related to health.

There is no real health-related issue with someone simply being on a ski slope, but there is a health-related danger to being under water.

 

[Wibble]

It's up to the individual to take responsibility for themselves. We don't need no steeenkin box ticking bureautwats.

A medical is only valid for the minute after it's been done. Sure, some lardy idiot who's well aware of their hypertension, out of breath walking around the boat shouldn't be diving; they die, their problem.


Ah, sorry, just realised... this is a USA only thing. Something about the US love of lawfare and the lawlife promoting legal battles as they make money from misery.

If necessary, use the "standard" PADI et al waiver form. If I lie and die, my problem.

 

[Edward3c]

If necessary, use the "standard" PADI et al waiver form. If I lie and die, my problem.

It’s interesting that in the last few years some U.S. courts have rejected the PADI waiver forms, as you know they’re not valid in the U.K.

 

[tursiops]

some lardy idiot who's well aware of their hypertension, out of breath walking around the boat shouldn't be diving; they die, their problem.

I wish this were true. When that idiot keels over after the first dive, the boat goes back to the dock and everybody misses their 2nd dive. Not to mention the mental anguish of watching a death take place.

 

[Wibble]

I wish this were true. When that idiot keels over after the first dive, the boat goes back to the dock and everybody misses their 2nd dive. Not to mention the mental anguish of watching a death take place.

Yes, of course.

What's worse is someone keeling over for something nobody could foresee and then the suefest begins.

 

[tursiops]

Yes, of course.

What's worse is someone keeling over for something nobody could foresee and then the suefest begins.

I'll wager there are more folks keeling over who should have known better, or did know better, than there are for no apparent reason.