Holland america medical care

[Stratheden]

Iv.

 

I am the expert on this. Everything is true. After 16 years of sterling medical services for Holland (all the while active working ER Doctor with 4 specialized boards they fired me.All the young South African doctors are not residency trained,and can be seen reading basic medicine such as reading EKGs! They are given 2 weeks orientation for ship administration.Due to the wrong decision of throwing me to the wolves to fend for myself navigating new computer systems and working 30 days straight without help and never off ship for a break in the Polynesia (!) I asked to go home due to burnout and get proper training and return as a dedicated and loyalist person and doctor I never heard from them,until yesterday when new scheduler excitedly copied medical director who said I was doctor not welcome according to ‘management ‘.

They are only looking out for South African dangerous doctors just like the medical directors are.They have no heart and charge for a bandaid.I wouldn’t refer anyone to cruise on the death ship!

I do hope the medical reports that you write are better to understand than what you have just posted.

You have just joined CC and made one post - like the OP in fact. Guess you won't be back either.

By the way, South African doctors are excellent. We have many over here and I watched one save a lady suffering a cardiac arrest.

[Boytjie]

Another fly-by poster with a grudge? Joined today, one post and brought a two-year old thread back to life.

 

I had no idea the doctors from my country of birth (and first half of my life) are such horrible doctors! :eek:

[Sir PMP]

IMO, I find this to be a rather irresponsible post. Sort of trying to stir up concern (maybe even fear) without useful information to back-up the implications , intentional or not.

 

For one thing, assuming this change is true - why should we be concerned by Princess doctors or Princess requirements for the doctors? What is different?

 

The word "dismiss" also puzzles me as the HAL physicians I met were contracted on a one time basis. Sure some may repeat another year, but for many it was simply a break from their full-time jobs. (Being in health care myself I made a point of learning about their backgrounds.)

 

I am unsure if we will hear from OP again, but if we do I hope she/he will provide some solid information on where this information is from and why we should be concerned about the Princess Medical department appointed physicians. What are their criteria?

 

I myself would be more concerned about where they were trained, Licensed and board Certified, not where they were born or now live. Just my opinion. Many fine physicians in the US were trained in foreign medical schools but successfully passed the requirements to be licensed and Board Certified in the US.

 

Sorry, but they OP is correct!!

[JVilleGal]

Iv.

 

I am the expert on this. Everything is true. After 16 years of sterling medical services for Holland (all the while active working ER Doctor with 4 specialized boards they fired me.All the young South African doctors are not residency trained,and can be seen reading basic medicine such as reading EKGs! They are given 2 weeks orientation for ship administration.Due to the wrong decision of throwing me to the wolves to fend for myself navigating new computer systems and working 30 days straight without help and never off ship for a break in the Polynesia (!) I asked to go home due to burnout and get proper training and return as a dedicated and loyalist person and doctor I never heard from them,until yesterday when new scheduler excitedly copied medical director who said I was doctor not welcome according to ‘management ‘.

They are only looking out for South African dangerous doctors just like the medical directors are.They have no heart and charge for a bandaid.I wouldn’t refer anyone to cruise on the death ship!

 

First time poster, unhappy former employee... original post January 2016

[kazu]

Iv.

 

I am the expert on this. Everything is true. After 16 years of sterling medical services for Holland (all the while active working ER Doctor with 4 specialized boards they fired me.All the young South African doctors are not residency trained,and can be seen reading basic medicine such as reading EKGs! They are given 2 weeks orientation for ship administration.Due to the wrong decision of throwing me to the wolves to fend for myself navigating new computer systems and working 30 days straight without help and never off ship for a break in the Polynesia (!) I asked to go home due to burnout and get proper training and return as a dedicated and loyalist person and doctor I never heard from them,until yesterday when new scheduler excitedly copied medical director who said I was doctor not welcome according to ‘management ‘.

They are only looking out for South African dangerous doctors just like the medical directors are.They have no heart and charge for a bandaid.I wouldn’t refer anyone to cruise on the death ship!

 

Not sure why you lost your position, but based on your "thrown to the wolves" and "not being able to navigate computer systems" I can take a good guess.

 

And yes, I am involved in the medical profession.

 

And yes, physicians are still Canadian and U.S. From what I have seen but where they come from makes no difference to me as long as they have the knowledge. Many are better trained in other countries with specialities that some haven't heard of here.

 

We get that they don't want you back and maybe, it's a good thing. anyone with this vitriol shouldn't be taking care of patients IMO - at least, not me, thanks ;)

[Boytjie]

Sorry, but they OP is correct!!

 

It took you two years to come to that conclusion?

[Sir PMP]

It took you two years to come to that conclusion?

 

No, the last couple of cruises, capiche...

[ithaca gal]

 

We get that they don't want you back and maybe, it's a good thing. anyone with this vitriol shouldn't be taking care of patients IMO - at least, not me, thanks ;)

 

My thoughts, too.

[IRL_Joanie]

Iv.

 

I am the expert on this. Everything is true. After 16 years of sterling medical services for Holland (all the while active working ER Doctor with 4 specialized boards they fired me.All the young South African doctors are not residency trained,and can be seen reading basic medicine such as reading EKGs! They are given 2 weeks orientation for ship administration.Due to the wrong decision of throwing me to the wolves to fend for myself navigating new computer systems and working 30 days straight without help and never off ship for a break in the Polynesia (!) I asked to go home due to burnout and get proper training and return as a dedicated and loyalist person and doctor I never heard from them,until yesterday when new scheduler excitedly copied medical director who said I was doctor not welcome according to ‘management ‘.

They are only looking out for South African dangerous doctors just like the medical directors are.They have no heart and charge for a bandaid.I wouldn’t refer anyone to cruise on the death ship!

 

Possibly you are talking the Crew Doctors as opposed to the Passenger Doctors?

I KNOW first hand that both Crew and Passenger Doctors do get to get off and explore in Ports.

I've no idea why you feel the way you do, but you have your reasons.

Also, It would seem to me that any doctor reading medical material should be looked at as one who is keeping up with his/her education for provinding better care.

Joanie

[Jade13]

Iv.

 

 

 

I am the expert on this. Everything is true. After 16 years of sterling medical services for Holland (all the while active working ER Doctor with 4 specialized boards they fired me.All the young South African doctors are not residency trained,and can be seen reading basic medicine such as reading EKGs! They are given 2 weeks orientation for ship administration.Due to the wrong decision of throwing me to the wolves to fend for myself navigating new computer systems and working 30 days straight without help and never off ship for a break in the Polynesia (!) I asked to go home due to burnout and get proper training and return as a dedicated and loyalist person and doctor I never heard from them,until yesterday when new scheduler excitedly copied medical director who said I was doctor not welcome according to ‘management ‘.

 

They are only looking out for South African dangerous doctors just like the medical directors are.They have no heart and charge for a bandaid.I wouldn’t refer anyone to cruise on the death ship!

 

 

 

What country are you from and what ship were you most recently working on?

 

I was last on the Koningsdam and they had a full time medical staff. I was told they got rid of the doctors traveling on vacation ( those on the cruise for a free vacation). I thought it was a positive move.

 

Are you a doctor and where were you trained?

 

 

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[Hlitner]

I will jump in (again) since we have no ax to grind (we are mere cruise ship passengers) but have a friend who used to work on HAL as a ship physician. Our friend was a Board Certified Traumatologist who split his time working on HAL ships and at a Florida Hospital ER (where he actually worked for a third party corporation that staffs ERs all over the USA. At the time our friend worked for HAL (several months a year) the cruise line primarily used Board Certified Trauma specialists licensed in the USA or Canada. But a couple of years ago (my time frame might be slightly off) HAL decided to use non North American physicians. As to why, they keep their reasons close to the vest. There is a lot of speculation that much of the decision was driven by potential liability issues in that its nearly impossible to sue a physician from other countries (outside of North America). Other speculation is that the cruise lines found a way to save money :).

 

Most cruise ships carry 2 physicians.....1 for the passengers and 1 for the crew. I seem to recall (senior moments make life tough) that the crew physician on one of our cruises was a Filipino physician...although we never asked him where he was licensed to practice medicine. When in port, the normal procedure is that 1 of the physicians can leave the ship while the other is always aboard. It is the same with the nursing staff (they rotate their time-off in ports). There is always sufficient coverage onboard....but these medical professionals are not slaves and they got their share of port time (we know this because we went ashore with our physician friend). As you can imagine, issues can cause physicians to lose a day ashore. There was one day when we were planning to take our physician friend with us in Italy (we had a rental car) and he had to cancel at the last minute because of an emergency medical case that required his attention.

 

Hank

[beaniele]

We were on the Amsterdam last August. My husband had a very bad dizzy spell in port. We went to the medical office, once back on ship. I am not sure where the doctor was from, maybe British, South African. He was young and did every test, blood, ekg,etc. to make sure my husband had not had a heart event. He was very thorough and we felt very comfortable with him and the nurses. All those test and return visits for blood pressure was $613.00, Which our health insurance paid us back. We thought pretty reasonable.

 

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[Haboob]

⋮

Also, remember Medicare will not cover your healthcare in a foreign country. Be sure you have good travel insurance.

 

Side issue:

That's Medicare Part 'B' ("original Medicare"), not necessarily Medicare Part 'C'

("Medicare Advantage"). Something to consider come next open enrollment.

[sail7seas]

some Medex plans will pay some, no t all, however ther e is a lifetime limit. I always buy t ravel medical insurance as I would not risk an illness or accident out of the country and not enough insurance....

[haladdict]

I am sure that Hal makes sure that the doctors are well trained. It makes no difference to me where they were born.

Sandra

[Hlitner]

I am sure that Hal makes sure that the doctors are well trained. It makes no difference to me where they were born.

Sandra

 

It must be nice to have that much faith in any cruise line :).

 

Hank

[Lucy Jane]

Last year i was on a Princess ship, had the flu, and was cared for by a great young doctor from Australia.

 

 

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[VMax1700]

Wow, anger, vitriol and poor grammar. I diagnose 'brooding revenge' and I prescribe one large chill pill to be taken daily until normal employment returns!

 

There is no charge for this diagnosis.

;p

[haladdict]

It must be nice to have that much faith in any cruise line :).

 

Hank

It doesn't really matter, if we have faith in the Doctor, when we are on a cruise ship. If we need help, the doctors and nurses there are it.

Sandra

[kazu]

A lot of the top specialists here are not from Canada or the U.S. Nor are some of the FP's.

 

What difference does it make where they are from as long as they are good at what they do?

[Hlitner]

It doesn't really matter, if we have faith in the Doctor, when we are on a cruise ship. If we need help, the doctors and nurses there are it.

Sandra

 

I guess a few years working in a major Emergency Room (and being a Paramedic who dealt with many medical professionals) makes me more of a skeptic. You know the old saying that "doctors bury their mistakes." :)

Hank

[terpstra1]

I'm just off the Koningsdam. I was treated by an American doctor. He was thorough and completely professional.

 

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[frankc98376]

We were on the Amsterdam last August. My husband had a very bad dizzy spell in port. We went to the medical office, once back on ship. I am not sure where the doctor was from, maybe British, South African. He was young and did every test, blood, ekg,etc. to make sure my husband had not had a heart event. He was very thorough and we felt very comfortable with him and the nurses. All those test and return visits for blood pressure was $613.00, Which our health insurance paid us back. We thought pretty reasonable.

 

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I went to E.R due to chest pain. All tests above were done and turned out to be GI issue. The GI issue cost just over $4000 for ER. $613.00 is very fair.

[beaniele]

I went to E.R due to chest pain. All tests above were done and turned out to be GI issue. The GI issue cost just over $4000 for ER. $613.00 is very fair.

We were surprised at what we thought was a very fair price.

 

 

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[sailinglisa]

 

 

 

Also, It would seem to me that any doctor reading medical material should be looked at as one who is keeping up with his/her education for provinding better care.

 

Joanie

 

AMEN!!!! I am a nurse, and I have to have continuing education credits EVERY YEAR. I learn something new all the time. As do doctors, paramedics, EMT's, teachers etc. I hope if someone sees me reading educational material on the job that I am expanding my nursing/medical/clinical skills and knowledge rather than trying to "catch up."