Is there a doctor on the plane?

[joyvee]

How many times have you heard that announcement and wondered what it was about? One of my friends was on a flight and as a Registered Nurse responded and had to tell them the passenger had definitely died and dissuade them from lugging the dead person uncovered to the best place they had available.

Another equally important question is how much medical equipment is carried as a matter of routine when we go on flights. Medical personnel need supplies and equipment if they are to assist their patient to the best of their ability.

Have any of you any stories to tell about sudden illness on your flight?

Here is an interesting article from the ABC's Health Report on what one doctor found when he investigated the contents of one on board medical kit.

Is there a doctor on the plane? - Health Report - ABC Radio National (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
You have to click on the SHOW word to read transcript. JoyV

 

[markis10]

See this thread which references the story as a sideline (its two years old)

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....sq-pilot-refused-sick-passengers-29515-3.html

There is a minimum kit that should be carried, and the transcript reads like its a Qantas flight which had not much, in fact it was not a Qantas operated flight but a codeshare where equipment levels mat be at the minimum as opposed to whatbQF can provide.

 

[joyvee]

I thought that the article clearly stated that QF carries a medical kit well above the minimum standard and that Vietnam Air, in this case, fell short of expectations and there would be QF investigation to ensure standards were maintained in future. No reference to "passengers plea to land" - quite objective Health Report from Radio National.

I, for one, would be interested in updates on this standard on other airlines if anyone has any info.
Thanks for the info, markis10 - I was aware of date of article and will look up past posting. JoyV

 

[Daver6]

I always assumed that were after someone with a PhD as the on-board GPS had broken and they needed someone to do the maths

 

[KC2]

on a return flight to Sydney from Fiji last year there was a Medical emergency call for a doctor about 45 mins into , A doctor was seated in front of us & she went to the rear of plane where she remained for over an hour , after 2 hours of flight they made an announcement they would return to FIJI as the situation worsened, 2 hours later we got back then spent an hour on ground while medics worked on the guy who actually died. then it was another 1.5 hours to refuel etc before we got on our way again. Made for a long day on the little 737 winglets with no additional water / food offered at all !!

yesterday on our return flight from Fiji 2013 a similar call was made 2 hours into the flight , my wife & i rolled our eyes at the prospect of a repeat performance , but luckily the sick passenger only 3 rows in front was prescribed a glass of water on this occasion !!

 

[Grogan]

2 hours later we got back then spent an hour on ground while medics worked on the guy who actually died. then it was another 1.5 hours to refuel etc before we got on our way again. Made for a long day on the little 737 winglets with no additional water / food offered at all !!

yesterday on our return flight from Fiji 2013 a similar call was made 2 hours into the flight , my wife & i rolled our eyes at the prospect of a repeat performance , but luckily the sick passenger only 3 rows in front was prescribed a glass of water on this occasion !!

It is awfully inconvenient when someone does not have the good manors to die on a different flight than you. You think they would do something about it.

 

[kaelo]

on a return flight to Sydney from Fiji last year there was a Medical emergency call for a doctor about 45 mins into , A doctor was seated in front of us & she went to the rear of plane where she remained for over an hour , after 2 hours of flight they made an announcement they would return to FIJI as the situation worsened, 2 hours later we got back then spent an hour on ground while medics worked on the guy who actually died. then it was another 1.5 hours to refuel etc before we got on our way again. Made for a long day on the little 737 winglets with no additional water / food offered at all !!

yesterday on our return flight from Fiji 2013 a similar call was made 2 hours into the flight , my wife & i rolled our eyes at the prospect of a repeat performance , but luckily the sick passenger only 3 rows in front was prescribed a glass of water on this occasion !!

I cannot believe the nerve of some people! How dare they die on your flight?! You should probably look at suing somebody....

 

[under the radar]

KC2 ... REALLY??? :shock: (IVE JUST BITTEN MY TONGUE MULTIPLE TIMES) ... I AT YOU... ENOUGH SAID!!

 

[Katie]

We required a doctor's assistance for my FIL LHR-SIN 2 years ago (QF A380). He was given oxygen, and I think that was about it. The oxygen was in the on-board medical kit, I presume. I spent most of my time distracing Little Miss from seeing her grandfather so ill and soothing Mr Katie when I could.
(My FIL had food poisoning, did not let on how bad he was, and spent the 2.5 days of stopover in SIN in hospital).

 

[Warks]

I vaguely recall a few years ago landing somewhere like LAX and being held on the ground while a medical officer came on board and checked someone who may have had a "notifiable disease". I'm wondering if this was in the SARS or Avian Flu era. We were stuck there for an extra hour before we got the all clear to disembark.

I've heard the "do we have a doctor on the place" page a few times over the years but to my knowledge no one was ever quite inconsiderate enough to die on board and delay us!

 

[KC2]

The first occasion we were actually shook up at the thought of someone dying on our plane, with 2 Kids on a tiny Plane for nearly 8 hours it was a long stint but we were not annoyed or irked by the instance under the circumstances. With our flight out to Fiji this year delayed then cancelled & spending a night at Rydges Airport hotel , the prospect of an emergency & prospective delay on our return leg was not warmly welcomed by us & I am glad that the passenger on this trip was well enough to stay well till we landed !

 

[legroom]

Many years ago, I was on a flight from BOS after attending a work conference.

The "medical call" went out and approx half the plane stood up to respond.

Apparently, they came from a large medical conference.

So, if you are "marginal", look up where the medicos are having conferences and time your flights accordingly

Back on topic, many years ago coming home from SIN, my then 5-yr-old son had a low grade fever which unfortunately got worse after we had boarded.

Further, he complained of headache !

We thought for 3-4 seconds before requesting disembarkation fearing that it could be a case of early meningitis.

SQ FAs were polite and accommodating.

We had to wait for 30-45 min for luggage to be located.

Luckily, the fever subsided under observation in hospital.

When we re-boarded the plane 2 days later, SQ agents said "Oh, you were the ones holding up the plane !"

 

[walshy002000]

On this note, a friend of mine who recently got her MD said that given the increase in law suits, they now train doctors to not respond to the "is there a doctor in the house?" calls unless there is no other option and no one else is willing to put their hand up. Sad that we've come to this point where doctors are trained to only offer help when no one else can, instead of being first to offer assistance.

 

[docjames]

On this note, a friend of mine who recently got her MD said that given the increase in law suits, they now train doctors to not respond to the "is there a doctor in the house?" calls unless there is no other option and no one else is willing to put their hand up. Sad that we've come to this point where doctors are trained to only offer help when no one else can, instead of being first to offer assistance.

Welcome to AFF.

Who is "they" are where are they?

I don't know too many doctors (in Aus) who wouldn't be prepared to assist in whatever capacity they could.

In Australia you are covered medicolegally by Good Samaritan laws and also your MDO in the event of being sued (provided you act appropriately in the situation / with the equipment you have available).

 

[Alanslegal]

I recall jb747 - our resident A380 captain - saying something along the lines that if they had to land for every medical situation, no plane would ever make it to their destination. He also wrote out a detailed explaination on the process of what QF does in an inflight medical situation, iirc, something like that the crew would be the first assessor, then a call for an onboard doctor, the pilot is always informed of the process and has direct communication 24/7 to a specialist medical team on the ground who makes the final call on the seriousness of the situation and whether or not a diversion etc is necessary. If someone can post that post, that would be fantastic rather than just what I recall/interpret.

 

[legroom]

Welcome to AFF.

Who is "they" are where are they?

I don't know too many doctors (in Aus) who wouldn't be prepared to assist in whatever capacity they could.

In Australia you are covered medicolegally by Good Samaritan laws and also your MDO in the event of being sued (provided you act appropriately in the situation / with the equipment you have available).

+1

Wholeheartedly

Sorry, but Walshy002000's first post is inaccurate and alarmist.

FYI, here is the actual law underpinning what DocJames stated.

Look at 57(1) "A good samaritan does not incur any personal civil liability in respect of any act or omission done or made by the good samaritan in an emergency when assisting a person who is apparently injured or at risk of being injured."

 

[harvyk]

On this note, a friend of mine who recently got her MD said that given the increase in law suits, they now train doctors to not respond to the "is there a doctor in the house?" calls unless there is no other option and no one else is willing to put their hand up. Sad that we've come to this point where doctors are trained to only offer help when no one else can, instead of being first to offer assistance.

I thought there was good samaritan laws which protected doctors in those sorts of cases?

EDIT: I can see next time not to put my AFF posting on hold whilst I deal with a client... Next time I'll tell the client they have to wait until AFF posting is completed.

 

[walshy002000]

Welcome to AFF.
Who is "they" are where are they?.

Cheers She's a recent graduate of Flinders Medical in SA. She wasn't saying that they shouldn't respond, rather that they should wait until all other avenues of help have been exhausted. That said, I know she (and probably most other MDs) would be more than happy to assist. It just struck me as being off as I thought that should have been the response, not 'wait and see'.

I obviously can't comment as to the nature of how it comes in line with what the law states, but this conversation started when I jokingly asked "have they trained you how to respond to 'is there a doctor in the house?'", so I was just going from that

 

[harvyk]

I recall jb747 - our resident A380 captain - saying something along the lines that if they had to land for every medical situation, no plane would ever make it to their destination. He also wrote out a detailed explaination on the process of what QF does in an inflight medical situation, iirc, something like that the crew would be the first assessor, then a call for an onboard doctor, the pilot is always informed of the process and has direct communication 24/7 to a specialist medical team on the ground who makes the final call on the seriousness of the situation and whether or not a diversion etc is necessary. If someone can post that post, that would be fantastic rather than just what I recall/interpret.

I think you might be thinking of this one...

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....tions/ask-the-pilot-30478-197.html#post797496

PS: This was not easy to find, that thread is huge!

 

[legroom]

I thought there was good samaritan laws which protected doctors in those sorts of cases?

EDIT: I can see next time not to put my AFF posting on hold whilst I deal with a client... Next time I'll tell the client they have to wait until AFF posting is completed.

Further, the NSW Medical Practice Act specifically states that failure to render emergency assistance would be a case of "professional misconduct"

Section 36(l)

"[FONT=Arial,Helvetica]Failing to render urgent attention
[/FONT]
Refusing or failing, without reasonable cause, to attend (within a reasonable time after being requested to do so) on a person for the purpose of rendering professional services in the capacity of a registered medical practitioner in any case where the practitioner has reasonable cause to believe that the person is in need of urgent attention by a registered medical practitioner, unless the practitioner has taken all reasonable steps to ensure that another registered medical practitioner attends instead within a reasonable time."