So if you really do discuss your meds with your doctor and he/she clears you to dive, ahy not get it in writing?
Good question and I do. The question then becomes, what is the dive charter going to do with this information if I provide it? I've tried the full disclosure route and repeatedly found that it worked to my detriment. All too often the DM on the back of the boat seems to think that his medical knowledge outweighed my doctors and I ended up with some kind of restriction to my diving. At the very least, it was a monster hassle. I have a physical every year and keep a complete and detailed disclosure of my medical status (including details of all conditions and treatments) along with a signed release from my physician in the very front of my log. I also keep a DAN tag on my person. I'm selective in my disclosure now - I give out the information on a "need to know" basis. Recreational dive? The charter operator doesn't need to know. Technical dive? Hmm, maybe, depends on the dive. My buddy? Without hesitation.
I understand the concern of the charter operator - his insurance company is sitting on his head trying to find a way to limit his (and their) liability and requires the form be used and the procedures followed. The argument that this information is being requested for use in case of an emergency is pretty weak, however, otherwise we'd all have our medical histories stapled to our foreheads as we walk around in our day to day lives, just in case.
I'm just wondering what the insurance company is going to do, if they find out that you didn't fill out the papers truthfully...
The dive operator's insurance company is going to fight like a junk yard dog to avoid paying any claims, which they should. I'm okay with that - if I get hurt because my head explodes underwater due to an undisclosed medical condition, why should I be able to collect from the dive operation? On the other hand, since I have the approval of my doctor to dive,
my insurance company is still going to be on the hook unless the policy includes an exclusion for diving. Some of them do, not mine, but I have DAN insurance, also.
The problem with
loco parentis is that it all too often is just plain
loco.