Has anyone ever been off loaded because you have been injured on board ship

[dd likes to cruise]

To the OP - were you involved in the discussion of what they could do to get you to a hospital? Did you ask any questions? Give any suggestions? Did you stay in the medical area of the ship until you were debarked?

 

All these answers might help us to understand a little more.

[RDC1]

I am surprised that they did not divert to allow evacuation. Especially considering that there are numerous ports such that diversion would not impact schedule very much. Medical data does show that after a hip fracture time to surgery does impact outcomes. Especially since Hamburg was 48 hours away.

 

Using administrative databases in Ontario, researchers studied 42,000 adults who underwent hip fracture surgery in 72 hospitals. Only a third received early surgery — that is, within 24 hours of arriving in the emergency department. Most of these early-surgery patients were matched to a similar number who had delayed surgery (after 24 hours).

The primary outcome — mortality within 30 days of admission — was higher with delayed surgery (6.5% vs. 5.8% with early surgery). Delayed surgery patients also had slightly higher rates of complications like pulmonary embolism, myocardial infarction, and pneumonia.

Editorialists conclude: "A wait time of 24 hours may represent a threshold defining higher risk. Because two-thirds of patients did not receive surgery within this timeframe, performance improvement is warranted."

[kimberley]

How do you know someone has not followed up with the hospital?

Even for the insurance company we had to give written permission just for the insurance company to be given any info what so ever.

 

The insurance company also have confirmed that they have received no contact at all with Royal or the Port Agent.

[kimberley]

To the OP - were you involved in the discussion of what they could do to get you to a hospital? Did you ask any questions? Give any suggestions? Did you stay in the medical area of the ship until you were debarked?

 

All these answers might help us to understand a little more.

I asked to be air lifted off the ship. I was screaming in pain.

 

I was transferred from the medical centre to my cabin as the beds in the medical centre were way to uncomfortable.

 

All they were interested was my insurance which my husband provided policy shedule everything with 15 mins of me being taken there.

[kimberley]

This is awful. I hope you have a speedy recovery. Just wondering why it is important to you that Royal checks to see how you are? Perhaps they have called and you just don't know it. I think I would be more worried about a million other things. I do hope you get better soon. Six weeks is a long time to be away from home. Very best wishes to you.

I guess it’s important because they told us that their Miami Care team will be in touch shortly to assist us. This is also in the letter they give you. Same for the port Agent.

 

I think myself or husband would be aware if they tried to call. Eg missed calls on our phones, maybe an email etc

[nascarcruiser]

I guess it’s important because they told us that their Miami Care team will be in touch shortly to assist us. This is also in the letter they give you. Same for the port Agent.

 

I think myself or husband would be aware if they tried to call. Eg missed calls on our phones, maybe an email etc

Shortly in corporate speak isn't the same as shortly to the normal person. In my line of work shortly is 20-30 days. I know in this situation you would hope it wouldn't be that long.

[Grandma Dazzles]

I asked to be air lifted off the ship. I was screaming in pain.

 

I was transferred from the medical centre to my cabin as the beds in the medical centre were way to uncomfortable.

 

All they were interested was my insurance which my husband provided policy shedule everything with 15 mins of me being taken there.

 

I think everyone is trying to assist and answer questions. Also posters are sympathetic to your problem.

 

Please read and comment on posts 5, 12 and 22, as examples. Unfortunately accidents do happen and it sounds as if you have had a rough time. I am sorry this happened but it is for the insurance companies to handle. RC or any other company, cruise ship or not, has to be so conscious of the legality of the situation.

 

Perhaps because you are in Europe you look at things differently, but in the US you have to sign for any information to be released, and we are used to being asked for insurance information, as not everyone is covered by the same insurance. I believe RC uses US Medicare charges/standardized forms and pricing. They do in the Caribbean but not sure about Europe.

[marylizcat]

Shortly in corporate speak isn't the same as shortly to the normal person. In my line of work shortly is 20-30 days. I know in this situation you would hope it wouldn't be that long.

However, if they were supposed to be getting in touch to ‘assist’, 20-30 days isn’t much assistance! They were not to know she might end up stuck there for six weeks.

 

I am wondering if American companies are not expected to exercise a duty of care in the way British companies are.

[chengkp75]

However, if they were supposed to be getting in touch to ‘assist’, 20-30 days isn’t much assistance! They were not to know she might end up stuck there for six weeks.

 

I am wondering if American companies are not expected to exercise a duty of care in the way British companies are.

 

Add to the fact that RCI is not and American company, it is Liberian, and the ship where the incident occurred is registered in the Bahamas, so no, they likely don't meet all UK laws.

[marylizcat]

Add to the fact that RCI is not and American company, it is Liberian, and the ship where the incident occurred is registered in the Bahamas, so no, they likely don't meet all UK laws.

It isn’t so much about laws as about attitudes.

[allison0523]

I don't understand all of the logistics of getting someone off of a cruise ship but I would think in the case of a broken hip in an elderly person they would want to get that person off the ship as soon as possible due to complications that you have mentioned. 2 days seems like a long time to wait in this type of injury.

I am surprised that they did not divert to allow evacuation. Especially considering that there are numerous ports such that diversion would not impact schedule very much. Medical data does show that after a hip fracture time to surgery does impact outcomes. Especially since Hamburg was 48 hours away.

 

Using administrative databases in Ontario, researchers studied 42,000 adults who underwent hip fracture surgery in 72 hospitals. Only a third received early surgery — that is, within 24 hours of arriving in the emergency department. Most of these early-surgery patients were matched to a similar number who had delayed surgery (after 24 hours).

The primary outcome — mortality within 30 days of admission — was higher with delayed surgery (6.5% vs. 5.8% with early surgery). Delayed surgery patients also had slightly higher rates of complications like pulmonary embolism, myocardial infarction, and pneumonia.

Editorialists conclude: "A wait time of 24 hours may represent a threshold defining higher risk. Because two-thirds of patients did not receive surgery within this timeframe, performance improvement is warranted."

[chengkp75]

It isn’t so much about laws as about attitudes.

 

Call me a cynic, but I would guess that those UK companies would not exercise that duty of care if there was no law behind it.

[maggie cruises]

With a Corporation like this there could be legal reasons why they haven't contacted you. While it was an accident, contact could be construed as guilt or taking responsibility.

 

 

 

Bingo

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Edited June 4, 2018 by maggie cruises

[Laurin612]

I'm so sorry to hear about your broken hip! How awful! I don't have any advice other than what has already been offered, but I wish you a quick recovery and hope you get to go home soon.

[AmazedByCruising]

I am surprised that they did not divert to allow evacuation. Especially considering that there are numerous ports such that diversion would not impact schedule very much. Medical data does show that after a hip fracture time to surgery does impact outcomes. Especially since Hamburg was 48 hours away.

 

Using administrative databases in Ontario, researchers studied 42,000 adults who underwent hip fracture surgery in 72 hospitals. Only a third received early surgery — that is, within 24 hours of arriving in the emergency department. Most of these early-surgery patients were matched to a similar number who had delayed surgery (after 24 hours).

The primary outcome — mortality within 30 days of admission — was higher with delayed surgery (6.5% vs. 5.8% with early surgery). Delayed surgery patients also had slightly higher rates of complications like pulmonary embolism, myocardial infarction, and pneumonia.

Editorialists conclude: "A wait time of 24 hours may represent a threshold defining higher risk. Because two-thirds of patients did not receive surgery within this timeframe, performance improvement is warranted."

 

I'm not a doctor, but this study seems to suggest that you shouldn't keep a patient waiting for too long. A limited study with only 42,000 subjects, and a result showing less than 1 percent difference in mortality is hopefully not what the decision was based on. Fortunately, there's not enough data to do such a study, but I'm convinced that getting a patient of a ship via the gangway in the middle of the night won't do much good (easily the 1%). A tender ride would be worse. A helivac even more so.

[mjkacmom]

If your child fell in school and was taken to hospital. I would have hoped out of a duty of care someone from the school would have made contact to see if they were ok. On the same principle if someone visited my house, fell or became ill and was taken to hospital I would feel that it was my duty to make contact with them to make sure they were ok.

My 14 year old daughter fell at track practice and obviously broke her wrist. The AT called an ambulance, and I met my daughter at the hospital. The next day I got an email with the school’s insurance information. That was it.

 

Never heard of duty of care, at least in the US.

[setsail]

Even for the insurance company we had to give written permission just for the insurance company to be given any info what so ever.

 

The insurance company also have confirmed that they have received no contact at all with Royal or the Port Agent.

 

Same question, as you did not answer the question I asked

[Grandma Dazzles]

Unfortunately OP has not responded to any of the explanations provided regarding evacuation, insurance, etc.

[RDC1]

I'm not a doctor, but this study seems to suggest that you shouldn't keep a patient waiting for too long. A limited study with only 42,000 subjects, and a result showing less than 1 percent difference in mortality is hopefully not what the decision was based on. Fortunately, there's not enough data to do such a study, but I'm convinced that getting a patient of a ship via the gangway in the middle of the night won't do much good (easily the 1%). A tender ride would be worse. A helivac even more so.

 

Considering the ship route, From Southampton to Hamburg there are a number of ports where the ship could have stopped, docked and offload the patient with pretty minimal impact to schedule. Harwich is a good example (cruise ship port with little traffic) as well as the larger French and Dutch ports on the other side.

 

This was just one example of numerous studies that exist concerning the issues with delaying surgery after a broken hip. While the numbers were small it still demonstrated a statistically significant difference.

 

Also keep in mind that the mortality rate for a broken hip when looking at elderly patients is actually fairly high. For example for patients over 60:

 

Hip fractures are associated with significant morbidity, mortality, loss of independence, and financial burden.6–12 In usual care, the reported 1-year mortality after sustaining a hip fracture has been estimated to be 14% to 58% (Table 1).1,7,13–29 The relative risk of mortality in the elderly patient population increases 4% per year.30 The first year after a hip fracture appears to be the most critical time. A recent meta-analysis revealed that women sustaining a hip fracture had a 5-fold increase and men almost an 8-fold increase in relative likelihood of death within the first 3 months as compared with age- and sex-matched controls.

 

 

As such a hip break at any age can be considered to be a major medical injury, requiring more care than can be provided on board a cruise ship and where delays can negatively impact patient outcomes.

Funny thing is I have was on a cruise where the ship diverted due to a broken arm. Cruise ships are not set up to deal with orthopedic injuries other than stabilize for transfer and treatment off ship.

Edited June 4, 2018 by RDC1

[shrifk]

im just wondering if what had happened to me is typical of procedure.

 

I fell on the Navigator of the Seas and broke my hip just four hours after setting sail from Southampton. For some unknown reason we continued to our first port of call Hamburg two days away.

 

I was offloaded into an ambulance to go to the hospital. Nearly a week later I have heard nothing from nobody.

 

I had hip surgery and will be unable to walk with much weight on it for the next 12 weeks. There is talk of having to stay in Germany for the next 6 weeks!! This is under discussion with the doctor and my insurance company.

 

I’m presently awaiting treatment for the knee that was injured as well.

 

Is it normal that no one contacts you to see how you are once you leave the ship.

 

 

After becoming ill prior to ship leaving port (Ft. Lauderdale) I was evacuated to the local hospital. I was contacted by an insurance representative the following day and a couple of times during the week I was in the hospital. They also arranged my flight home. I had RCCL insurance, AON.

[Thorben-Hendrik]

Even for the insurance company we had to give written permission just for the insurance company to be given any info what so ever.

 

The insurance company also have confirmed that they have received no contact at all with Royal or the Port Agent.

There is NO WAY a German hospital would give out ANY information to a stranger!

 

They have very strong data protection laws not like the US:rolleyes:

[steamboats]

Sorry I think you might have miss understood. We boarded in Southampton. We had been sailing four hours which sounds a lot but 2 hours of this was restricted speed because of the estuary. We were still just off the coast of England when I fell. Paying for the medical evac was never an issue. My hip was time sensitive and as it turns out the time lost has caused the fracture to get worse.

We never did see any official from the port agent

 

No I did understand you properly. I know about the restriced speed out of Southampton. Anyway it would have taken 4 hours to return to port and another 4 hours to get to the place they turned around - so the ship would have been delayed at laest 8 hours - usually more as they have to dock and then get the patient off.

 

steamboats

[steamboats]

Helicopter evacuations by national services (Coast Guard, etc) are not charged to either the patient or the cruise line, and private helicopter evacuation is extremely rare, because most services don't have the expertise to either land on a moving ship or perform a winch rescue, and the cruise line doesn't want the liability for these services.

 

Cheng, anyway someone has to cover the cost (and if it´s the tax payer)... You can´t just ask for a helicopter evac because it´s more convenient to get back to your home country (in the OPs case they were close to the UK and she´s from the UK).

 

steamboats

Edited June 5, 2018 by steamboats

[steamboats]

There is NO WAY a German hospital would give out ANY information to a stranger!

 

They have very strong data protection laws not like the US:rolleyes:

 

As Kimberly wrote... she had to give written permission to the insurance company... and UK has (still) the same data protection law as Germany ;-).

 

Another thing... unfortuantely this was the first call of the Navigator in Hamburg and it´s not a regular port of call. I don´t know whether there are any other stops there. But if so only a few (talking about maybe 2). So they don´t have regular staff there. Sure they do work with an agency which acts as a port agent for them.

 

 

With the long Elbe river trip into the city any delay causes big troubles. As for the Dutch ports... long transitions into Amsterdam and Rotterdam too. So no alternative port for a quick evac. Harwich is a little off side the trip to Hamburg. Le Havre would have been the closest but even off side.

 

Kimberly, you are definitely in good care in Hamburg! So don´t worry about that. Of course I can totally understand that you want to be closer to home and I hope you will be stable enough soon to return to the UK.

 

 

steamboats

[RDC1]

As Kimberly wrote... she had to give written permission to the insurance company... and UK has (still) the same data protection law as Germany ;-).

 

Another thing... unfortuantely this was the first call of the Navigator in Hamburg and it´s not a regular port of call. I don´t know whether there are any other stops there. But if so only a few (talking about maybe 2). So they don´t have regular staff there. Sure they do work with an agency which acts as a port agent for them.

 

 

With the long Elbe river trip into the city any delay causes big troubles. As for the Dutch ports... long transitions into Amsterdam and Rotterdam too. So no alternative port for a quick evac. Harwich is a little off side the trip to Hamburg. Le Havre would have been the closest but even off side.

 

Kimberly, you are definitely in good care in Hamburg! So don´t worry about that. Of course I can totally understand that you want to be closer to home and I hope you will be stable enough soon to return to the UK.

 

 

steamboats

 

A little off to the side, but much faster than a 4 hours return, could probably hit Harwich with only a delay of a couple of hours if planned for once the injury occurred 4 hours into cruise.

 

The main point is that cruise ship routinely divert for less severe injuries than a broken hip. An injury that a cruise ship cannot effectively treat.