Medical Evacuation NCL SUN.....

[boowaaccaa]

Hi all,

 

Just wondering if any one has experience with a medical evacuation onboard a ship? Cost? Where do they take you? Etc.

 

We have family on board who is very sick but worried to talk to the ship doctor because of the issues around medical evac.

 

Thanks in advance.

[jdvmd]

Hi all,

 

Just wondering if any one has experience with a medical evacuation onboard a ship? Cost? Where do they take you? Etc.

 

We have family on board who is very sick but worried to talk to the shi doctor beucase of the issues around medical evac.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Hope do not need to be evacuated. Praying for health. Hope they have insurance.

[boowaaccaa]

They have insurance but I am not so sure how good it is.

[coffeecat]

They should go to the ship's doctor. Their facilities on the ship are actually very good-I would equate it to a small town hospitald. On the Pearl my dad got an extensive (for being on a ship) cardiac work up (EKG, Xray, labs, meds) and he was in really rough shape after being pulled from the water in respiratory distress. They were able to stabilize and treat him on board without evacuation which in retrospect is actually really impressive.

 

An evac is very expensive but at the end of the day it is better than the alternative. I think they will only evac if it is life threatening illness.

 

I really hope they are okay!

[jdvmd]

They have insurance but I am not so sure how good it is.

 

Sorry to hear that. Hope their situation improves.

[vols_159]

So sorry to hear from what ive read on here.... If its a EM they would take you as close to a port as possible or the cost guard would fly out to get you... If you are closer to a foreign port thats where you would go... And Most health insurances dont cover outside the USA>.. Did they buy travel insurance?

[lambchoplady]

It looks like the Sun is in St, Thomas today. If so, that would probably be the best place to go if he needs to be hospitalized, given that it is a US territory.

[boowaaccaa]

They have insurance but I am not sure how good it is. They are Canadian not American.

He has cancer and it is terminal. They did not expect him to go downhill so fast. They thought they had more time. Thier family doctor did give them clearance to go.

[SMSACE6]

Im saddened to hear this. Sorry that your family member is having trouble on their cruise, but it really is best to consult the medical team on board.

[waiting2retire]

Medical evac is usually only invoked in a situation where a person is actively dying. If your family member is in imminent danger of dying, I would highly recommend seeing the doctor. As someone has already mentioned, sick bay can handle most medical issues/emergencies, and it sounds like medical treatment should be sought.

 

A benefit of seeing the doctor is that if the medical condition is very serious but does not require evac, the captain may decide to speed up to reach Miami earlier than scheduled so that the patient can be treated as early as possible.

 

When it comes right down to it, if the condition is life-threatening, does the cost really matter??

[waiting2retire]

Just read the note about the terminal cancer; sorry to hear that. Travel insurance will likely not cover any costs in this case since it is a pre-existing condition. It will really depend on what kind of assistance he requires at this point... can medication or oxygen make him more comfortable? It is likely the onboard doctor can provide that for him. Another issue could be getting him on a flight home if he is that sick. Sorry to hear that this has happened... cancer can seem to have a mind of its own when it comes to timing :(

[boowaaccaa]

It is not a matter of cost to me it is a matter of cost to them.

We are not onboard with them.

I won't judge them on their decisions regarding this.

 

A medical evacuation will not save his life. Obviously if it would, money would not be an issue.

[Karysa]

Medical evac is usually only invoked in a situation where a person is actively dying. If your family member is in imminent danger of dying, I would highly recommend seeing the doctor. As someone has already mentioned, sick bay can handle most medical issues/emergencies, and it sounds like medical treatment should be sought.

 

A benefit of seeing the doctor is that if the medical condition is very serious but does not require evac, the captain may decide to speed up to reach Miami earlier than scheduled so that the patient can be treated as early as possible.

 

When it comes right down to it, if the condition is life-threatening, does the cost really matter??

 

I would say yes the cost does matter when you are speaking about treating a terminal cancer patient. If that was me I would not want my family to spend money on a medical evac and would rather be kept comfortable instead on the ship.

 

To the OP. I am very sorry to hear about your ill family member. I hope that they have insurance that covers pre-existing illnesses. Ours is very good CAA insurance but it does not include an injury or illness that was treated by a physician in the last 3 months. If you are healthy Pre-trip it is great insurance as it covers everything including medical evacuation but in your relatives case I would think that he or she was under a doctors care for cancer and therefore ineligible for this particular insurance plans coverage. Perhaps they can get in touch with their insurance and find out exactly what they are covered for.

 

I hope things settle down on board and they are able to finish the cruise that they started.

[blindrid]

Just read the note about the terminal cancer; sorry to hear that. Travel insurance will likely not cover any costs in this case since it is a pre-existing condition.

 

Wrong.

 

That's why I buy early (when I book) to get the waiver of pre-existing conditions.

 

I'm guessing some people do not read their policies or just go by hearsay.

[Karysa]

Wrong.

 

That's why I buy early (when I book) to get the waiver of pre-existing conditions.

 

I'm guessing some people do not read their policies or just go by hearsay.

 

 

Ours is a yearly policy that covers us for as many trips out of the country as we would like to take up to 15 days per trip. Pre-existing conditions in this policy only include ones that you see a doctor for within 3 months before you need to use the insurance.

Our DD broke her arm 6 months prior to a trip and since her last check- up was 2 1/2 months prior to our trip we were told that her arm was essentially not covered.

Insurance is all so different and you really need to read the fine print.

[OceanDreaming2]

It is not a matter of cost to me it is a matter of cost to them.

We are not onboard with them.

I won't judge them on their decisions regarding this.

 

A medical evacuation will not save his life. Obviously if it would, money would not be an issue.

 

Please encourage your family member(s) to seek out the ship's doctor. Although the passenger has terminal cancer, the medical center should have the means to make his passing easier (oxygen, etc.). I watched my first husband die from lung cancer and know the turmoil they are going through. I hope for the best.

[rbrugler]

If they are still in St Thomas, by far the best hospital would be in Tortola, which is BVI and help could be obtained in getting him back to Canada. The ship medical staff could help with this.

[coffeecat]

Gosh, really sorry to hear this. Well, if it were me, then I wouldn't want to be evaced either. However, the ship doctors could probably make him more comfortable. This is really tough. I am really sorry and I hope everything works out okay.

[DMLyons]

They should go to the ship's doctor. Their facilities on the ship are actually very good-I would equate it to a small town hospitald. On the Pearl my dad got an extensive (for being on a ship) cardiac work up (EKG, Xray, labs, meds) and he was in really rough shape after being pulled from the water in respiratory distress. They were able to stabilize and treat him on board without evacuation which in retrospect is actually really impressive.

 

An evac is very expensive but at the end of the day it is better than the alternative. I think they will only evac if it is life threatening illness.

 

I really hope they are okay!

 

I'll add my hopes that it turns out well. And thanks to Coffeecat! It's excellent to hear about how good the medical facilities are aboard ship. Good to know.

 

DML

[Host Jazzbeau]

You need to recognize that nobody here is likely a Doctor (or even played one on TV) or an insurance expert.

 

CC is like a nice bar. Occasionally too many drunks, but never any really professional advice on offer. ;)

 

The nearest real Doctor is on the ship, and s/he should be consulted.

[cheshyrkat]

If someone is terminal, and is having difficulty, it doesn't necessarily mean they are actively dying. The ship's doctor may be able to stabilize your family member without involving "heroic measures" if it is the desired treatment.

 

If your family member really is actively dying, I don't think the doctor would or even could ethically force them to be evacuated to a hospital somewhere if that isn't what is desired or appropriate. The doctor could make arrangements for supportive care like oxygen or pain medication.

 

I don't know the specifics of this situation and I certainly don't know what they ought to do, but until your family member is seen by the doctor, they won't even know what the options really are.

 

Palliative care neither hastens or prolongs the dying process. It doesn't mean "do not treat" something that might get better. The doctor is the person best qualified to assess the possibilities.

 

If it was my family in that situation, I'd encourage them to seek treatment based on the limited information you've presented.

 

My heart goes out to you and your family...

[boowaaccaa]

Thanks for all the kind words and assistance.

[ksimpso3]

I am an certified oncology nurse, and agree with the others who say to get him to the ship's doctor. He may just need pain medication, oxygen, nausea meds, fluids, etc. If he is terminal, I don't see the point of evacuating him unless it is the only way to make him comfortable. I had a patient take a cruise in September that was terminal also, but she really wanted to go so the doctor "cleared" her to go. She said she was sick the entire time and had to be wheeled around and felt like she ruined the cruise for her family. It is a very sad situation and must be hard for you as you are not there to help. Hope it works out without an evacuation.

[cheshyrkat]

I am an certified oncology nurse, and agree with the others who say to get him to the ship's doctor. He may just need pain medication, oxygen, nausea meds, fluids, etc. If he is terminal, I don't see the point of evacuating him unless it is the only way to make him comfortable. I had a patient take a cruise in September that was terminal also, but she really wanted to go so the doctor "cleared" her to go. She said she was sick the entire time and had to be wheeled around and felt like she ruined the cruise for her family. It is a very sad situation and must be hard for you as you are not there to help. Hope it works out without an evacuation.

 

My dad had stage IV prostate ca and went on a cruise (not NCL) with my mom. He developed pneumonia during the trip and mom brought him to the ship's doctor, who gave medications and even visited him in their cabin. My mom is a nurse and she was impressed by the doctor and the medical center. They had a rough time, but made it home without having to leave the cruise. I would have been terrified. I'm just glad they were so supportive to my family.

[c0reyann]

So so sorry to hear this. We took a trip with my father when he was terminal and the trip down took so much out of him the whole vacation he was miserable, it was so hard but in the end I'm still glad he got to smell salt air once more before he went. Still, it was a scary time for us all because of how quickly he started sliding down that slope once on vacation. At one point during the trip we were thinking that we wouldn't be able to get him home and I'd have to find a way to stay where we were until he passed.

 

I would go to the ship doctors and see what they can do. It's very doubtful they will force an evac, generally that is to save a life (heart attack/stroke etc.). More than likely they will be able to give some palliative care that will help ease the pain/suffering and they may not be as bad off as your family thinks.

 

Also if possible they may want to contact the treating physician and/or hospice if he's enrolled. They may be able to get in touch with the doctor on board to give a history so they can treat them better. When we were on vacation w/ my father our doctors and hospice were in touch with the local doctors so if an emergency arose, they were there to help with the history.

 

I hope that everything ends OK and your family with them is OK. That has to be such a helpless feeling. Thoughts to you all.