That pesky Medical Statement

[uncfnp]

This comes up on SB fairly frequently. I would make a fairly substantial bet that almost everyone past the age of 50 or so has lied on that form if you take it at absolute face value. The questions are just too broad. Possibly pregnant? Prescriptions? Over 45 with a family history of stroke or heart attack? Frequent attacks of hayfever or allergies? Recurrent back problems? Back, arm or leg problems? Recurrent ear problems?

How many threads have I read just on SB from divers with musculoskeletal issues, ear/sinus issues, anxiety questions, etc. The obvious limitations of the form require to diver to use a certain degree of common sense to complete. The question is where does common sense end and outright deception by omission begin.

 

[uncfnp]

The other issue that is rarely mentioned is that PADI is behind the times and requires a physician to sign off on the form making it awkward for a growing percentage of the population that has a nurse practitioner or physician assistant as their primary care provider.

 

[dmaziuk]

Possibly pregnant? Prescriptions? Over 45 with a family history of stroke or heart attack? Frequent attacks of hayfever or allergies? Recurrent back problems? Back, arm or leg problems? Recurrent ear problems?

No, not at the moment, I plead the fifth, fifth, fifth, define "problems", (edit) define "problems".

I guess I'm not going to Cozumel anytime soon.

 

[simcoediver]

In the questionnaire there is one really stupid question that asks "Ear disease or surgery, hearing loss,or problems with balance.
Ok, I have severe hearing loss and what the hell does that have to do with my ability to dive? I never answer yes to that question because it would end up me having to make an appointment with the doctor.

 

[tursiops]

In the questionnaire there is one really stupid question that asks "Ear disease or surgery, hearing loss,or problems with balance.
Ok, I have severe hearing loss and what the hell does that have to do with my ability to dive? I never answer yes to that question because it would end up me having to make an appointment with the doctor.

INFLATE YOUR BC!! DROP YOUR WEIGHTS!!
Did you hear that?
The hearing part is a safety issue.....e.g., surfacing into a boat passing overhead?

 

[rmssetc]

"So, if someone checks "yes" on the form and the dive op lets them go diving anyway and something bad happens, wouldn't the dive op have some kind of liability?"

Don't you mean:

"So, if someone checks "yes" on the form and does not have a medical release and the dive op lets them go diving anyway and something bad happens, wouldn't the dive op have some kind of liability?"​

While the form may be about a diver's fitness for diving, I strongly suspect that the presence of a medical release -- regardless of the "yes" conditions, goes a long way to reducing the dive op's liability. If they choose to let someone dive without a medical risk, they've probably taken on a huge liability. If they diver lies on the form, they own the risk.

I agree that the standard form, as presented to the dive op, conveys way too much medical information to the dive op. I'm happy to give that form to my Dr. during my annual visit, discuss it, and walk away with a signed release. However, I'm not happy sharing page 1 of the form with the dive ops -- I'd rather give them something that states that there was a "yes" condition on page 1, accompanied by the signed medical release.

While it is somewhat invasive of my privacy, there's absolutely no HIPAA violation [US law covering disclosure of health records] in my giving this information to the dive op, at least as far as I recall from my last HIPAA training.

As I think about it, once the dive op puts their seawater-prune fingers on the form, they may have just taken on a whole lot of liability for how they handle my health data (and EU has more stringent privacy rules on this than the US, I believe).

 

[simcoediver]

INFLATE YOUR BC!! DROP YOUR WEIGHTS!!
Did you hear that?
The hearing part is a safety issue.....e.g., surfacing into a boat passing overhead?

never has been an issue and never will be.

 

[BRT]

INFLATE YOUR BC!! DROP YOUR WEIGHTS!!
Did you hear that?
The hearing part is a safety issue.....e.g., surfacing into a boat passing overhead?

So deaf people should not be allowed to dive? Or not without their doctor saying it is alright?

 

[drrich2]

I can see where a deaf person the staff don't know about might miss important dive or boat briefing info., not be able to hear a recall signal (e.g.: banging on a metal ladder), etc...

This is where the law of unintended consequences comes into play. The boat staff may need to know, the diver would probably prefer to alert them, but then he's got to arrange to see a doctor (which means finding one, waiting weeks perhaps, then seeing one who knows squat about diving & hopefully signs your dive release form and if so likely on the diver's say-so, for a temporary release regarding a chronic condition so here's a new annual hassle to dive...), so the temptation arises to keep quiet.

Ditto diabetics (who vary widely in terms of control and severity) and with a range of other conditions. Hearing loss also varies widely.

Of course deaf people can dive. Will they be allowed to, by who and contingent upon jumping through what hoops? Ah, now those are some questions...

Richard.

 

[Bob DBF]

I can see where a deaf person the staff don't know about might miss important dive or boat briefing info., not be able to hear a recall signal (e.g.: banging on a metal ladder), etc...

Well then where is the question and exclusion for the knuckleheads that don't listen or talk during the dive briefing so others can't hear and will ignore the recall signal.

One unintended consequence may be that dive shops may wind up entangled in the HIPAA law since they are compiling, using, and storing medical records. Since they demand medical records, as do doctors, it is not a stretch to demand the same privacy laws should apply.


Bob