That pesky Medical Statement

[dmaziuk]

Ah, I misunderstood your post--I thought you were opposed to ALL medical statements.

No, I'm opposed to the quiestionnaire. If I were to answer those questions honestly and truthfully, the answer to each and every one of them is "none of your business, do you want my word that I'm fit to dive, or my doctor's?" I am OK with either.

 

[KeithG]

If you hire a guide to take you out in the wilderness, they might reasonably ask for a doctor's medical waiver. I'm pretty sure my buddy who races cars had to get a medical.

Sounds like you are guessing?

And lets not confuse suggesting a current medical with asking invasive personal questions every time you participate in an activity. Lots of things have regulating bodies that require a current license (pilot, etc..). Often license renewal requires a current medical (and maybe even a skills demonstration).

The scuba industry is NOT requiring me to have a current medical. It is asking me invasive personal medical questions.

I am interested to see if any other "activity" takes the same view as the scuba industry does.

 

[Altamira]

I am far more likely to die playing golf than diving (if statistics are to be believed), despite the fact that I am generally a lot closer to medical assistance and facilities on a golf course than on a dive boat. Yet, I have never been asked to sign a waiver to play golf, much less divulge personal medical information to people that are not qualified medical personnel, and are not in any position to accurately diagnose my fitness to dive. My physician is an ex-Navy Dive Medical Officer, and as long as he continues to tell me that I am medically qualified to dive, I do not care what information a dive op thinks they have a right to know. In addition, I learned a long time ago that a rapid incapacitation or death can happen at any age or apparent physical condition because there are a lot of things that can put you in an emergency situation without any previous indication or diagnosis. Just because you are 23 years old, in apparently great shape, and have never had a coronary issue, does not mean you won't have one five minutes from now.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Sounds like you are guessing?

I just said it wouldn't be unreasonable if a wilderness guide asked me for a doctor's note. I wouldn't object.

And lets not confuse suggesting a current medical with asking invasive personal questions every time you participate in an activity. Lots of things have regulating bodies that require a current license (pilot, etc..). Often license renewal requires a current medical (and maybe even a skills demonstration).

The scuba industry is NOT requiring me to have a current medical. It is asking me invasive personal medical questions.

I agree with your view on that issue. The detailed questions are objectionable to me on privacy grounds. If a dive op wants a note from my doctor that I have no contraindications to diving, that's fine--and I even think it's a good idea--but I agree that the details of my health are none of their business.

 

[rmssetc]

Simple answer is the dive pro had to at one point fill out the same medical form for courses he/she took, even if just the OW course. So the pro would have to be medically fit according to the shop and agency (and have gotten a Dr.'s signed approval if there was a YES answer). No detailed medical info. would need to be released to anyone.
Now, if the thought is the dive pro should have to renew the medical form (and dive skills) periodically (as the pro is responsible for other people), that is a different thread.

Some instructors have suggested that the medical release makes them better prepared to help their students in case of a problem. That's great.

For any class after OW, those students are also certified divers, and there's an expectation that they should be able to assist the instructor if they have a problem -- they are buddies to the instructor, right?. Why wouldn't an instructor want their students to be better prepared to help them in case of a problem?

This is exactly the question of trust being a two-way-street that I raised earlier.

I've participated in other recreational activities where there were no releases, no medical forms...but it was the cultural norm in some groups for people to voluntarily notify the rest of group if they had a condition (diabetes, bee-sting allergy, for example) that could be a problem. Good expedition leaders encouraged that and made it easier to share that info in confidence, without formal written statements or medical releases.

 

[BRT]

That level of liberty is something modern society cannot handle accepting in others, even when it's common practice. How many mentions of a Physician evaluating a prospective diver read like the Physician will decide whether to 'veto' diving for him? How often instead do we read 'My Doctor recommended against it and explained the risks to me, but that's my decision and I'm diving' or similar?

After all, would your Physician 'clear' you to smoke, maintain an obese state, drink alcohol, eat greasy fried food...? One argument levied against the 'It's my right' mindset is that exercising your self-perceived right could impact others (e.g.: dive guide rescue effort, cancel others trip short). Yes. So can having a heart attack or stroke driving down the highway.

It becomes a question of degree. I think most of us would balk at an epileptic who still has periodic seizures driving, especially on busy highways at high speed. But the 350 lb. guy with the history of 2 heart attacks and a triple bypass pulling out of McDonalds? Who says anything about that?

Richard.

Filling out that medical form with all "NO" cures the problem for the dive shop. If it doesn't then the lawyers may make us initial each item like a real estate contract. Maybe a separate affidavit that swears we read the form. Whatever it takes so our relatives cannot successfully sue.

 

[BRT]

I just said it wouldn't be unreasonable if a wilderness guide asked me for a doctor's note. I wouldn't object.



I agree with your view on that issue. The detailed questions are objectionable to me on privacy grounds. If a dive op wants a note from my doctor that I have no contraindications to diving, that's fine--and I even think it's a good idea--but I agree that the details of my health are none of their business.

I don't think you are going to see widespread use of a note from your doctor saying it is ok for you to dive. Then when you die your relatives will sue the doctor. I'm pretty sure that if everyone now diving had to get a doctor to say they were in good health for it, the dive business would be in worse shape than it is. I know my health and I don't think I'm so much worse off than others my age. And lots of those I dive with are 10 years or more older than me.

 

[Charles2]

When I discuss the results of my annual physical with my doctor, one of the items of discussion is "Do you see any reason why I should be concerned about scuba diving or skydiving?" After some discussion of the issues surrounding the activities, his answer has always been "No". That is the answer that I put in each of the boxes on the medical questionnaire. I believe that honesty is the best policy. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

 

[tursiops]

I don't think you are going to see widespread use of a note from your doctor saying it is ok for you to dive. Then when you die your relatives will sue the doctor. I'm pretty sure that if everyone now diving had to get a doctor to say they were in good health for it, the dive business would be in worse shape than it is. I know my health and I don't think I'm so much worse off than others my age. And lots of those I dive with are 10 years or more older than me.

I carry a note from my doctor that I am OK to dive; it is page 2 of the RSTC medical form.
I'm happy to show it to anyone. They don't need to see page 1, with all the questions. According to a direct note from PADI, the only purpose of page 1 is to let the operator know if they need page 2; so I just give them page 2, per PADI.

 

[BRT]

I carry a note from my doctor that I am OK to dive; it is page 2 of the RSTC medical form.
I'm happy to show it to anyone. They don't need to see page 1, with all the questions. According to a direct note from PADI, the only purpose of page 1 is to let the operator know if they need page 2; so I just give them page 2, per PADI.

Good on you. And what if the doctor said that you had an issue that was a little questionable and he wasn't willing to sign that note again. Are you ready to stop diving?