How do I get my medical records from Azamara?

[Benthayer Gonbak]

This evening I was told by medical that they could not give me copies of my medical records without permission from Azamara as that’s who they have the contract with!  
 

This came as a shock to me as I’d seen medical files outside cabin doors before.  I was told that that was when it was Royal Caribbean!  
 

Medical finally agreed to contact Azamara for permission by it’s too early to know what those results will be.  
 

Any thoughts?  
 

 

 

[uktog]

Sorry I do not understand what your issue is - have you had to consult with the medical team when onboard?  

[Benthayer Gonbak]

8 minutes ago, uktog said:

Sorry I do not understand what your issue is - have you had to consult with the medical team when onboard?  

Yes, medical should have records about their evaluation/treatment of me.  And yes, it was onboard. 
 

This is my first encounter with any medical facility where I couldn’t get copies of my records. I found it astonishing!  

[lenoirm]

Could you ask Azamara  doctor to send your records to your personal doctor?

I cannot see how Azamara could refused that!

Keep asking !!!

[Georgia_Peaches]

1 hour ago, Benthayer Gonbak said:

This is my first encounter with any medical facility where I couldn’t get copies of my records. I found it astonishing!  

By law, they are required to provide you with your medical records.  It's a shame that you have to jump through so many hoops.  Just have to ask...do you frequently visit medical facilities while cruising?  I only ask because this seems like a very expensive situation.

[Host Jazzbeau]

4 minutes ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

By law, they are required to provide you with your medical records.  It's a shame that you have to jump through so many hoops.  Just have to ask...do you frequently visit medical facilities while cruising?  I only ask because this seems like a very expensive situation.

By the law of what country?  This isn't a US medical office.

[Georgia_Peaches]

4 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

By the law of what country?  This isn't a US medical office.

Very good point!  Are cruises that embark in a US port beholden to US laws?

[uktog]

I suggest you go and speak with the guest relations manager to resolve this

[Benthayer Gonbak]

4 hours ago, uktog said:

I suggest you go and speak with the guest relations manager to resolve this

That was ineffective, but I have reached out to others.  Ultimately it seems to be Azamara’s decision.  I just wanted to know if anyone else had experience this, yet!  

[Benthayer Gonbak]

The hotel manager managed to get my records to me.  She was unimpressed with their reasoning etc and it appears had to do a bit more than should have been required.  The records also contain a bit of fiction and are missing reasons for certain treatments.  

[Benthayer Gonbak]

On 12/19/2022 at 7:02 PM, Georgia_Peaches said:

By law, they are required to provide you with your medical records.  It's a shame that you have to jump through so many hoops.  Just have to ask...do you frequently visit medical facilities while cruising?  I only ask because this seems like a very expensive situation.

I'm not sure why visiting a medical facility frequently would necessarily be a choice.  As for the cost I was more concerned about the cost to my health for an ill advised antibiotic drug I was given without any explanation as to what it was supposed to be treating.  I was however able to contact my primary care to determine that my concerns about the drug were well based - it’s side effects are well documented. 
 

i did also point out that the policy of not being able to have my records available if I were to be transferred to a land hospital for say a broken leg seemed absurd!  
 

we also heard from another passenger that for even a fall, on land, with scrapes the onboard physician wanted clearance from a hospital.  The passenger refused as the incident was basic first aid, even though a bit larger,; they were allowed to remain on board without the clearance.  This new company’s protocols, I find extremely frightening.  Hopeful they are being reviewed as problems are pointed out! I also hope their income is not based on treatments reportedly given. 

Edited January 7, 2023 by Benthayer Gonbak

[excitedofharpenden]

This is a private health matter between you and Azamara and I don't think that you (other than being able to vent here) are going you receive any useful information. Nobody here is in possession of the full facts in order to give you an informed opinion. 

 

FWIW, I have always received amazing attention from the med team onboard and I've had to use them on many occasions when I wish I hadn't have had to!

 

Phil 

[ragesinn]

I assume your cruise was the recent Western Africa on Journey which we were on and found the hotel director more helpful than Guest Relations. To illustrate I discovered 2 days prior to departure I was labeled having the yellow fever vaccine even though our exemptions for yellow fever were scanned by guest relations early in the cruise.So now my FCC is in limbo even though I attempted to correct prior to departure and probably results in the post cruise system involving RCL. After 20 cruises with Azamara and similar problems on the last three cruises I wonder if a change is in order. Who needs these post cruise problems.

[Benthayer Gonbak]

9 hours ago, excitedofharpenden said:

This is a private health matter between you and Azamara and I don't think that you (other than being able to vent here) are going you receive any useful information. Nobody here is in possession of the full facts in order to give you an informed opinion. 

 

FWIW, I have always received amazing attention from the med team onboard and I've had to use them on many occasions when I wish I hadn't have had to!

 

Phil 

I have repeatedly seen charts outside passenger doors on various cruises.  I’ve also had good luck with the little medical needs I’ve had onboard.  But, on this cruise the medical staff pointed out that they had no responsibility to me, they were contracted to Azamara and the previous experience were with a different contract withRoyal.   I was appalled and simply wanted to know if others had seen this phenomenon yet.  

 

 

[Benthayer Gonbak]

5 hours ago, ragesinn said:

I assume your cruise was the recent Western Africa on Journey which we were on and found the hotel director more helpful than Guest Relations. To illustrate I discovered 2 days prior to departure I was labeled having the yellow fever vaccine even though our exemptions for yellow fever were scanned by guest relations early in the cruise.So now my FCC is in limbo even though I attempted to correct prior to departure and probably results in the post cruise system involving RCL. After 20 cruises with Azamara and similar problems on the last three cruises I wonder if a change is in order. Who needs these post cruise problems.

Yes, I was there.  Tatiana indeed kept her cool as she tried to unscramble all the chaos caused by the  YF issues, including helping passengers who wanted the vaccine get them locally.  if I recall correctly we all had to re present COVID vaccine info too even though it had been scanned previously.  I found that a bit understandable as a process for organizing that info wasn’t really in existence.  However, still messing with FCC that had previously been committed is even less assuring.  
 

I’m sorry to hear that the uniqueness of this particular cruise can’t explain why you’ve experienced repeated similar problems.  I know it took a while for our FCC credits for a cruise in China to materialize, and that was in Nov 2019.  Id be interested in how that finally gets resolved. 
 

. 

[Benthayer Gonbak]

For what it is worth, the seasick pills available from guest relations are no longer Meclizine nor are the open medicine envelopes marked with what they are!  I asked and was shown a bottle that the pills supposedly came out of, that how I know they aren’t Meclizine! 
 

 

[uktog]

10 hours ago, Benthayer Gonbak said:

I have repeatedly seen charts outside passenger doors on various cruises.  
 

 

I have seen these too, not even in envelopes, which I consider a breech of data privacy so the process did need some changes. Hopefully it is teething problems and will resolve itself. 
 

I have never relied on the ship to provide sea sickness medication. And I certainly would not if I have more complex contra indications for medication. We bring our own, much easier. 

[Benthayer Gonbak]

26 minutes ago, uktog said:

I have seen these too, not even in envelopes, which I consider a breech of data privacy so the process did need some changes. Hopefully it is teething problems and will resolve itself. 
 

I have never relied on the ship to provide sea sickness medication. And I certainly would not if I have more complex contra indications for medication. We bring our own, much easier. 

 

we also bring our own meds for rough seas, it works better. 
 

As for not in envelopes, I’ve missed that phenomena.  
 

As for teething problem if no one knows it’s happening it takes longer to resolve hence I brought the issue up.  I truly hope this gets fixed soon though. 

[ragesinn]

On 1/7/2023 at 4:58 PM, Benthayer Gonbak said:

Yes, I was there.  Tatiana indeed kept her cool as she tried to unscramble all the chaos caused by the  YF issues, including helping passengers who wanted the vaccine get them locally.  if I recall correctly we all had to re present COVID vaccine info too even though it had been scanned previously.  I found that a bit understandable as a process for organizing that info wasn’t really in existence.  However, still messing with FCC that had previously been committed is even less assuring.  
 

I’m sorry to hear that the uniqueness of this particular cruise can’t explain why you’ve experienced repeated similar problems.  I know it took a while for our FCC credits for a cruise in China to materialize, and that was in Nov 2019.  Id be interested in how that finally gets resolved. 
 

. 

Situation resolved actually new to me a 4th choice on Azamara's phone system to resolve post cruise problems. Rep confirmed my problem and said my FCC credit would be linked to my booking number for that cruise. Also I was not alone and it seems other  people were omitted on each   group of submissions from the ship to the main office. I am keeping all documents until a future cruise is booked just in case.

[Benthayer Gonbak]

1 hour ago, ragesinn said:

Situation resolved actually new to me a 4th choice on Azamara's phone system to resolve post cruise problems. Rep confirmed my problem and said my FCC credit would be linked to my booking number for that cruise. Also I was not alone and it seems other  people were omitted on each   group of submissions from the ship to the main office. I am keeping all documents until a future cruise is booked just in case.

Thats good to hear, on both counts:  resolution and Azamara resolution phone option.   Thanks for the update. 

[the_dylaness]

I hope you are well now, and I am sorry to hear you had to visit the medical center onboard!

 

Adding only that in the past I have seriously considered working in a medical facility on a ship and at least with the companies I looked into, none were paying based on treatments given, patients seen, etc.  (You mentioned you were concerned this might be the case).  Hopefully some small consolation for you.  Best of health for your future cruises!