Medical Center Malpractice

[Hogbay]

12 hours ago, wolfie11 said:

This happened recently on Brilliance to a friend of mine. She went to the medical center with a cough hoping to get some cough syrup as they didn’t sell it in the onboard shop. At the medical center she was tested, x-rayed and diagnosed with pneumonia and a heart condition.  She was told she would be disembarked in Ketchikan as the condition was too serious to be allowed to remain on board for the 36-hour transit to Vancouver.  In addition, she was told she had be transported to the hospital by ambulance because of the heart problem. Within the hour a charge of almost $1900 was made on her onboard account and her credit card run.

 

At the Ketchikan hospital she was examined and told she was fine. She had a cold with some bronchitis and there was no heart problem .The doctor wrote a medical clearance with the real diagnosis and called the ship and told them he was sending her back.  The ship’s doctor refused to let her back on the ship.  Basically, she was dumped in Ketchikan and told she would have to arrange and pay for hotels and flights home as well as pay a $1000 fine for violating the PVSA by getting off in a US port! (Yes, she had insurance)

 

So be warned that showing up at the medical center can lead to unwanted and very expensive consequences at the hands of evidently completely incompetent medical doctors.  Unfortunately, this type of thing doesn’t seem to be that rare.

Was the bars closed? Your friend should of gone to a bar and got a straight southern comfort. 

[FamilyCruiserUK]

I personally do not go to the doctor's unless i am really really unwell. Even in the uk where its Free ( from our taxes) i will not go unless dying. So a cough on a ship, not for me just meds, gargle with salt water and suck it up till i get to land and get some meds if i feel they are required. 

[S.A.M.J.R.]

1 hour ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Glad to hear things worked out for you.  Seems the ships Dr. failed to mention that "Fit to Sail" letter or ignored it in the OP's case.

Or the "friend" didn't hear that part or ignored it.

13 minutes ago, Cruise a holic said:

Since a US hospital, insurance should cover.  I would also suggest you speak to an attorney.  I had an incident on a ship.  I broke my foot- went to the medical center on board, the "physician"  x-rayed etc.  He said a sprain.  Gave me a wheel chair and wrapped the foot-  However when I got home, I went to my Dr.  The foot was broken.  I contacted the ship (celebrity) they had no record of me going to their Dr!  They also never charged me anything.  Not the best physicians IMO on the ships.

So a single bad incident and you come back denigrating ALL ship's physicians?

 

 

[OceanCruise]

12 hours ago, wolfie11 said:

This happened recently on Brilliance to a friend of mine. She went to the medical center with a cough hoping to get some cough syrup as they didn’t sell it in the onboard shop. At the medical center she was tested, x-rayed and diagnosed with pneumonia and a heart condition.  She was told she would be disembarked in Ketchikan as the condition was too serious to be allowed to remain on board for the 36-hour transit to Vancouver.  In addition, she was told she had be transported to the hospital by ambulance because of the heart problem. Within the hour a charge of almost $1900 was made on her onboard account and her credit card run.

 

At the Ketchikan hospital she was examined and told she was fine. She had a cold with some bronchitis and there was no heart problem .The doctor wrote a medical clearance with the real diagnosis and called the ship and told them he was sending her back.  The ship’s doctor refused to let her back on the ship.  Basically, she was dumped in Ketchikan and told she would have to arrange and pay for hotels and flights home as well as pay a $1000 fine for violating the PVSA by getting off in a US port! (Yes, she had insurance)

 

So be warned that showing up at the medical center can lead to unwanted and very expensive consequences at the hands of evidently completely incompetent medical doctors.  Unfortunately, this type of thing doesn’t seem to be that rare.

Due to anxiety, breathing difficulties, etc. she may have had an irregular heartbeat when she saw the ship's doctor. Perhaps it was resolved by the time she saw the other doctor. If she had bronchitis, she may not have been in critical condition but I understand why the ship doctor did not want to risk getting the other passengers sick. 

[cruisinfanatic]

41 minutes ago, Cruise a holic said:

Since a US hospital, insurance should cover.  I would also suggest you speak to an attorney.  I had an incident on a ship.  I broke my foot- went to the medical center on board, the "physician"  x-rayed etc.  He said a sprain.  Gave me a wheel chair and wrapped the foot-  However when I got home, I went to my Dr.  The foot was broken.  I contacted the ship (celebrity) they had no record of me going to their Dr!  They also never charged me anything.  Not the best physicians IMO on the ships.

wow, I wish I knew all you know about ship doctors on all ships in the world

[cruiseboy89130]

13 hours ago, wolfie11 said:

So be warned that showing up at the medical center can lead to unwanted and very expensive consequences

Absolutely! Learned that lesson a while ago ! Never, never, never go there for anything that is not serious - anything minor such as a cold or some stomach problems will ruin your vacation for nothing!

[nelblu]

5 hours ago, ONECRUISER said:

The 3 Ship Dr's I sat down talked with over the yrs actually were. I remember one had 20yrs on shore experience before he went to sea

 

I go to my Primary Care Doctor every 3 months, talk to him for 5min, he writes my 6 Scripts, $239. 10yrs ago it was $99 for same 5min and same 6 written scripts

Inflation and insurance.  By the way, no insurance?  Good thing you did not need a plumber or an electrician.🤣

[not-enough-cruising]

12 hours ago, BecciBoo said:

My daughter is an OR nurse and her husband an anesthesiologist.  Gives me pause about what credentials the ships doc has and what experience....I don't know any doctors based on my DD that would take that job, wonder just how lucrative it is...or not.  Sounds like a legal matter if it can be proven that RCI was at fault.  Or maybe an attorney could get all expenses dropped.  Interesting...hope you let us know what happens

Ship doctors are US licensed and certified in their specialty.  Most I have talked to are Emergency Medicine, Internal Medicine, Critical Care (in that order)

[Cruise a holic]

3 hours ago, S.A.M.J.R. said:

Or the "friend" didn't hear that part or ignored it.

So a single bad incident and you come back denigrating ALL ship's physicians?

 

 

Nothing is about all physicians.  However one bad incident doesn’t instill confidence in the vetting process!

[cruisinfanatic]

I remember when my brother in law took a bad fall years ago hurting his ankle. Had to be stretchered to med office on the ship. Nurse that came to the fall asked him to move his ankle and after he did proclaimed not broken if you can move it. Happened to be an orthopedic doctor on board and when Xrays were read they showed broken in 2 places and eventually need surgey after getting home.

Edited June 15 by cruisinfanatic

[not-enough-cruising]

1 hour ago, Cruise a holic said:

Nothing is about all physicians.  However one bad incident doesn’t instill confidence in the vetting process!

Have you ever been to a stateside ER............................? There's good and not so good EVERYWHERE

[Cruise a holic]

10 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

Have you ever been to a stateside ER............................? There's good and not so good EVERYWHERE

So true!  Never go to the er in July.  New interns begin their rotations!  Lol

[bonsai3s]

4 hours ago, bouhunter said:

All this for "a fever"???

That's exactly what I said to the Doctor onboard! I asked him: "Why am I being disembarked for a fever?" No answer.

 

* Many lessons learned...1. bring good medication.

[Charles4515]

5 hours ago, Cruise a holic said:

I would also suggest you speak to an attorney.

They are relaying a third hand story so why would OP speak to an attorney. 

[not-enough-cruising]

49 minutes ago, Charles4515 said:

They are relaying a third hand story so why would OP speak to an attorney. 

Furthermore, according to this accounting of the events, there is absolutely NOTHING to discuss with an attorney. 

[cruiselvr04]

So sorry this happened to this lady.  As others have stated, the ship doesn’t want to get in the situation of having to do an evacuation. Obviously the ship doctor was being too cautious.

 

We carry a small pharmacy including some prescription meds for just in case.  They used to sell cough medicine pre covid. Now the only thing I’ve seen on board is Tylenol/ Ibuprofen and maybe Benadryl. 

[nelblu]

9 minutes ago, cruiselvr04 said:

So sorry this happened to this lady.  As others have stated, the ship doesn’t want to get in the situation of having to do an evacuation. Obviously the ship doctor was being too cautious.

 

We carry a small pharmacy including some prescription meds for just in case.  They used to sell cough medicine pre covid. Now the only thing I’ve seen on board is Tylenol/ Ibuprofen and maybe Benadryl. 

Same here form antibiotics to Imodium.😀

[yogimax]

It's interesting to see how many will immediately jump to the defense of RCCL without knowing all the facts.  Others will immediately assign fault to RCCL without knowing all the facts.  Guess it's just symptomatic of our society.

[grandgeezer]

1 hour ago, not-enough-cruising said:

Furthermore, according to this accounting of the events, there is absolutely NOTHING to discuss with an attorney. 

If this is story is anywhere accurate, there are many many attorneys that would jump at the opportunity to pursue this. My neighbor is a retired attorney and says he would jump at it and unless they offered a settlement, or won in court, he would charge no fee. The first thing he would do after filing would let the whole world know how cruise lines feel about and treat their customers when things happen. The document from the hospital, along with a similar one from their medical professional verifying the first document would make it a slam dunk.

[mjkacmom]

43 minutes ago, yogimax said:

It's interesting to see how many will immediately jump to the defense of RCCL without knowing all the facts.  Others will immediately assign fault to RCCL without knowing all the facts.  Guess it's just symptomatic of our society.

I think if there is a fault, it lies with the medical center and not RCCL.

[leaveitallbehind]

5 hours ago, Cruise a holic said:

Nothing is about all physicians.  However one bad incident doesn’t instill confidence in the vetting process!

Not arguing, but IMO you are essentially making the same indictment.  Possibly one questionable vetting situation on one ship and you are casting dispersion on the whole process.  Nothing is about the process with all cruise lines.

Edited June 15 by leaveitallbehind

[not-enough-cruising]

1 hour ago, grandgeezer said:

If this is story is anywhere accurate, there are many many attorneys that would jump at the opportunity to pursue this. My neighbor is a retired attorney and says he would jump at it and unless they offered a settlement, or won in court, he would charge no fee. The first thing he would do after filing would let the whole world know how cruise lines feel about and treat their customers when things happen. The document from the hospital, along with a similar one from their medical professional verifying the first document would make it a slam dunk.

Your neighbor is a poster child for what is wrong with the legal system in this country. 

[Charles4515]

1 hour ago, yogimax said:

It's interesting to see how many will immediately jump to the defense of RCCL without knowing all the facts.  Others will immediately assign fault to RCCL without knowing all the facts.  Guess it's just symptomatic of our society.

Based on hearsay OP and other posters are advising don’t go to the medical center. That could cost someone their life. As far as the general competence of RCCL doctors I don’t think there are any facts here one way or another. 
 

[grandgeezer]

1 hour ago, not-enough-cruising said:

Your neighbor is a poster child for what is wrong with the legal system in this country. 

Apparently you know as much about the legal system as you know about the cruising industry. Thank you, know I know I’m right. 

[Robo1098]

I really think that they should be happy that she did not have a heart condition. Bronchitis can get serious. Would they have been happier if she had a heart condition but the ship doctor tells her it is just a cough? All these people talking lawsuit are looking for a free ride at someone's expense. Be glad you had insurance, her heart checked out fine and move on with life. You have a good story to tell of the adventure.