That pesky Medical Statement

[TMHeimer]

Say I have one of those vague questions like family history of strokes. Yes, my mother at 90 had a stroke, as probably does every mother, who reaches 90. I have a yearly check up and specifically ask my doctor about diving. He says fine. I can honestly say that neither I nor my doctor has any knowledge of problems. I fail to see why just answering no to the questions is any sort of major lie. Nothing is being hidden. No information of use to the shop is being withheld. I am fulfilling the purpose and intent of the questionaire.

Agree. Similar to me answering no to my serious allergies/hayfever that disappeared completely by about 1990 at age 35. But, I DO have a history. I mean, my allergies from before teen years to age 35 were so severe I needed shots and Prednisone. Only in the summer during hayfever season, but it triggered severe allergy to ANY kind of smell-- only during that season. It confounds me how it did totally vanish. My Dr. of the last 12 years here in Nova Scotia would know nothing of it and have no medical records. With such a thing of allergies I guess the question is on the form because of possible congestion in sinuses/lungs, or people taking decongestants (which I haven't taken for allergy in 3 decades). You have to use judgement re YES or NO.

 

[tursiops]

Say I have one of those vague questions like family history of strokes. Yes, my mother at 90 had a stroke, as probably does every mother, who reaches 90. I have a yearly check up and specifically ask my doctor about diving. He says fine. I can honestly say that neither I nor my doctor has any knowledge of problems. I fail to see why just answering no to the questions is any sort of major lie. Nothing is being hidden. No information of use to the shop is being withheld. I am fulfilling the purpose and intent of the questionaire.

So there are no other questions that you might have answered YES? You don't take any pills? No high blood pressure? No dive accidents or DCS?

Remember, the point of the questionaire is to ascertain whether you need a doctor's signature, not to provide info to allow the dive shop to decide if you are OK to dive. That is not their job; it is your doctor's job.

 

[Steve_C]

So there are no other questions that you might have answered YES? You don't take any pills? No high blood pressure? No dive accidents or DCS?

Remember, the point of the questionaire is to ascertain whether you need a doctor's signature, not to provide info to allow the dive shop to decide if you are OK to dive. That is not their job; it is your doctor's job.

stroke for my old mom
heart operations for my diet from hell dad.

I am way over 50. (71)

Pills: 1 baby aspirin and a multivitamin each AM. Pseudophed a couple times a year. An antibiotic for a sinus infection maybe once a year. That is it.

Oh, not so great shoulders but does not interfere with diving. Can climb the ladder with no problem. Slight nuisance when suiting up.

 

[tursiops]

stroke for my old mom
heart operations for my diet from hell dad.

I am way over 50. (71)

Pills: 1 baby aspirin and a multivitamin each AM. Pseudophed a couple times a year. An antibiotic for a sinus infection maybe once a year. That is it.

Oh, not so great shoulders but does not interfere with diving. Can climb the ladder with no problem. Slight nuisance when suiting up.

I'm impressed! I take a LOT more pills than that, but after my rotator cuff surgery rehabs at least my shoulders will be better than yours.

 

[IBjones]

"They cannot "save you from yourself'"

That's not their job and that's not what I pay them for.
Otherwise, there would be some negligence if they failed to "protect me from myself", wouldn't there?
I'd call that a breech of contract and gross negligence in my lawsuit.
So it's better for the dive shop if they just do what they're paid to do and stop trying to be the scuba police or the "save me from myself" squad.

 

[Blue Quaker]

Sometimes the medical form is meaningless even with the doctor's seal of approval. We had a student show up for open water training many years ago with his medical form signed off by his MD. He showed up on night 2 smelling like a distillery, but didn't think a drink to settle his nerves before class would be a problem. I was told to contact his MD if I had questions. I contacted his MD and discovered the potential student was a recovering alcoholic with depression issues. The MD and his shrink had had a meeting with him to try to get him to take up a hobby. He said he'd always wanted to scuba dive, so they signed him off as physically fit to dive.....We gave him a refund and suggested he find a different hobby.....

 

[Neilwood]

Sometimes the medical form is meaningless even with the doctor's seal of approval. We had a student show up for open water training many years ago with his medical form signed off by his MD. He showed up on night 2 smelling like a distillery, but didn't think a drink to settle his nerves before class would be a problem. I was told to contact his MD if I had questions. I contacted his MD and discovered the potential student was a recovering alcoholic with depression issues. The MD and his shrink had had a meeting with him to try to get him to take up a hobby. He said he'd always wanted to scuba dive, so they signed him off as physically fit to dive.....We gave him a refund and suggested he find a different hobby.....

Well he was probably medically fit to dive but not mentally fit to dive.

 

[Steve_C]

Well he was probably medically fit to dive but not mentally fit to dive.

.. at the time he took the class. Medical and mental fitness for everybody varies from day to day. That's why the anybody can thumb at any time recommendation. 100 doctors notes and good tests does not mean that if I have a bad sinus cold on dive day that I am fit to dive.

 

[KeithG]

To me it seems like segments of the industry are suffering from cultural and shortsightedness issues?

I am fully supportive of the training agencies reminding potential new participants that being in good health is a good idea. And providing information about any unique aspects of the sport makes sense.

But their responsibility should end there (well it does in my mind).

The scuba industry seems to be very self focused in this matter and seems to believe it is special and needs to become my nanny by prying into my personal medical details. Why do they think they NEED or have a RIGHT to do that?

I am an adult. I am responsible for myself. I make my own decisions. I have to live with the consequences.

In my experience this is very un common situation. I have never encountered this invasion of privacy / nany state attitude in any other activity.

Why does (some parts of) the scuba industry think they are so special?

P.S. As noted by many others above the standard medical form is a joke. Operators using it as part of everyday scuba boat dives is an even bigger joke.

 

[dmaziuk]

Remember, the point of the questionaire is to ascertain whether you need a doctor's signature, not to provide info to allow the dive shop to decide if you are OK to dive. That is not their job; it is your doctor's job.

If I didn't believe in Hanlon's Razor, I'd be tempted to think the questionnaire was designed by an intelligent insurance lawyer for the purpose of catching me lying. So they could weasel out of paying. That's their job, and the purpose of the series of overly broad, deliberately vague, and in some cases clearly misplaced questions, is to provide their company with ample wiggle room.

Put me in a room full of pets and I'll have a bronchitis attack every time. Haven't had one in decades. Does it mean I need to answer 'yes' to the COPD question? Bah.