Ship Doctors are paid commission?!

[cle-guy]

Who knew, Ship doctors receive commissions based on their billings.

 

Apparently X Doctors are suing because they have not been getting their commission on medications dispensed, only on the billed procedures.

 

http://m.dailybusinessreview.com/module/alm/app/dbr.do#!/article/1754155473

[leisuretraveler223]

Article requires signing in or connecting with LinkedIn..... No thanks. But I suspect there is a lot more to this story than either you are relaying, or the article is reporting.

[leisuretraveler223]

So, a class action lawsuit (read: money grab for litigation attorneys) says they weren't paid according to the contract.

 

What part of this is troubling? Is it that Celebrity (according to a lawsuit) didn't honor a contract? Or that doctors who work on a ship are trying to make money?

[Pavovsky]

What happens with noro virus. Do passengers get charged for the diagnosis and then told they have to stay in their cabins?

 

 

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Edited September 16, 2015 by Pavovsky

[DavyJoneses]

I don't know if I have ever heard of physicians being paid on commission. I suppose it happens, but it seems a little sad.

[cle-guy]

So, a class action lawsuit (read: money grab for litigation attorneys) says they weren't paid according to the contract.

 

What part of this is troubling? Is it that Celebrity (according to a lawsuit) didn't honor a contract? Or that doctors who work on a ship are trying to make money?

 

I don't know that anything is troubling really, but do find it interesting that in the scheme of ship staff, Doctors are treated like Spa technicians -- add services, and upsell, get a bigger paycheck.

 

That there are only 41 participants in the lawsuit, tells me this is more about several of the doctors chatting amongst themselves about getting ripped off, and they decided to band together and find a single attorney to represent them versus paying 41 different attorneys, getting more past doctors to join in.

 

That the court ruled against Celebrity and allowed the suit to be certified as a class-action tells me there must be some teeth in the claim by the Doctors.

 

I can't imagine this settlement will be large at all, it's about the add-ons and small items, and whatever % they are due on those services - they have been paid for the bulk of their services. So don't see where attorneys will get mega rich off this one.

[cle-guy]

What happens with noro virus. Do passengers get charged for the diagnosis and then told they have to stay in their cabins?

 

I don't think X charges PAX who are diagnosed with Noro. And I don't think medications are generally dispensed either, one just has to get thru it. It's a virus so antibiotics won't do anything to treat.

 

But they are told to stay in cabin and I have seen where security has been placed outside of staterooms because some have refused to follow the policy.

[flames9]

As a RN i find it concerning that these Doctors get are to get paid for prescriptions. How many prescribe drugs, when its not really called for? But hey, they want a new set of golf clubs...Cipro for everyone!!

[Pavovsky]

I don't think X charges PAX who are diagnosed with Noro. And I don't think medications are generally dispensed either, one just has to get thru it. It's a virus so antibiotics won't do anything to treat.

 

 

 

But they are told to stay in cabin and I have seen where security has been placed outside of staterooms because some have refused to follow the policy.

 

 

Thanks. Was wondering as that would be tough.

 

 

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[leisuretraveler223]

As a RN i find it concerning that these Doctors get are to get paid for prescriptions. How many prescribe drugs, when its not really called for? But hey, they want a new set of golf clubs...Cipro for everyone!!

 

I agree that in the U.S. that would be very troubling. But pretty much everywhere else in the world, physicians do sell the drugs to treat what they diagnose. So seeing as these are foreign flagged vessels, so be it.

 

The irony is that as a physician, I have never made a penny for a single prescription that I have written. But on occasion, I have had patients go to one of the numerous homeopaths or naturopaths now hanging their shingles around here. Every time they come back, they've purchased a bunch of supplements, vitamins and natural remedies at the "practitioners" advice. Who sold the items to them? Yep! The provider that diagnosed them!

[New Hampshire]

I agree that in the U.S. that would be very troubling. But pretty much everywhere else in the world, physicians do sell the drugs to treat what they diagnose. So seeing as these are foreign flagged vessels, so be it.

 

The irony is that as a physician, I have never made a penny for a single prescription that I have written. But on occasion, I have had patients go to one of the numerous homeopaths or naturopaths now hanging their shingles around here. Every time they come back, they've purchased a bunch of supplements, vitamins and natural remedies at the "practitioners" advice. Who sold the items to them? Yep! The provider that diagnosed them!

 

Which is exactly why I see them as scam artists! Unfortunately, they have co-opted the treatment of chronic Lyme disease. Thousands of people suffering from this are being sold a bunch of magic remedies by these charlatans. Standard medicine is failing these suffering people.

[FloatSomeMore]

Who knew, Ship doctors receive commissions based on their billings.

 

Apparently X Doctors are suing because they have not been getting their commission on medications dispensed, only on the billed procedures.

 

http://m.dailybusinessreview.com/module/alm/app/dbr.do#!/article/1754155473

 

You have the most interesting information. Always read your posts!

[tactic]

Both my husband and I ( on separate cruises) have been very thankful for the services of the on board doctors ( and nurses) and from our experience we have been treated very professional and quickly and the medical staff could not be faulted and deserve every penny they earn, shame if they have been ripped off as they definitely didn't rip us off but treated us incredibly well

[jelayne]

In reading the article it isn't clear to me if it is the doctors who used to be on the ships, working in the Spa performing Botox, Juvederm & other cosmetic procedures or the doctors working in the Medical facility or both that are suing.

 

DH & I met one of the Dr.s from the Spa one evening in a bar. We had a couple of drinks with him over the course of the cruise. He told us he had a Cosmetic Surgery practice in FL but did 2 assignments a year on a ship. He did the majority of his work on sea days and he was free to go ashore on port days. He did mention one evening that booking for procedures were slow so he wouldn't make much money on that cruise, leading me to believe he got paid a fee per procedure.

[flames9]

I agree that in the U.S. that would be very troubling. But pretty much everywhere else in the world, physicians do sell the drugs to treat what they diagnose. So seeing as these are foreign flagged vessels, so be it.

 

The irony is that as a physician, I have never made a penny for a single prescription that I have written. But on occasion, I have had patients go to one of the numerous homeopaths or naturopaths now hanging their shingles around here. Every time they come back, they've purchased a bunch of supplements, vitamins and natural remedies at the "practitioners" advice. Who sold the items to them? Yep! The provider that diagnosed them!

 

But as a physican..how many free things have u accepted from drug manufacturer reps?? As a nursing student, I recall the reps coming into the hospital and laying out a huge spread of food...free items...then it came to a stop! 1 of the last times I was in my GP's waiting room a drug rep was in, making an appointment to take the GP out for lunch,lol

[Host Walt]

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[Desertbelle]

But as a physican..how many free things have u accepted from drug manufacturer reps?? As a nursing student, I recall the reps coming into the hospital and laying out a huge spread of food...free items...then it came to a stop! 1 of the last times I was in my GP's waiting room a drug rep was in, making an appointment to take the GP out for lunch,lol

Exactly! Drug companies spend billions of dollars a year to convince doctors to prescribe their drugs. HERE is a good article about this practice. Just because you don't get a buck a pill commission doesn't mean you aren't benefiting financially from drug companies!

 

As a midwife I don't generally get in on the pharmaceutical handouts, but several years ago I was invited to a series of 5 dinners by a cord blood collecting company. They took us, mostly physicians and a few midwives, to the fanciest of restaurants (Ruth Chris, Commanders Palace, etc), wined and dined us, gave us a presentation that lasted about 30 minutes and handed us a check for $250 on the way out. They also offered to waive all their costs for cord blood collections for office staff and immediate relatives, which amounted to a couple of thousand dollars per procedure!!! On the occasion of one of these dinners a doctor friend of mine told me that she had already been to a breakfast presentation of another company that morning. A nice gig if you can get it. :D

[cruisestitch]

A good point has been raised -- are these the doctors in the medical center or the doctors in the "spa" where you can find among others, chiropractors, and acupuncturists along with some who do Botox and other procedures.

 

The medical center doctors treat the crew in addition to passengers, something else to consider. (Presumably the ship pays them to treat the crew members?)

[cle-guy]

A good point has been raised -- are these the doctors in the medical center or the doctors in the "spa" where you can find among others, chiropractors, and acupuncturists along with some who do Botox and other procedures.

 

The medical center doctors treat the crew in addition to passengers, something else to consider. (Presumably the ship pays them to treat the crew members?)

 

As the article mentions not being paid for medications and calls them physicians (I;m assuming here that Physician has different meaning that a Botox specialist or Acupuncturist), sounds to me like real doctors.

The order included an excerpt from Celebrity management's internal emails that stated, "According to the signed contracts, physicians' commission should be on total medical revenue (procedure and medication sales) as opposed to commission on procedure only."

 

Also X has no Chiropractors that I know of (would love if they did....could have used on on my Connie TA, so made do with acupuncture instead).

[POA1]

From our guidelines:

 

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The one exception to this would be Cruise Line press releases. You may post these word for word on the boards, if you clearly indicate the source.

Thanks! Not sure why you want to claim infringement, but it's mighty decent of you. Have a great cruise!

[leisuretraveler223]

But as a physican..how many free things have u accepted from drug manufacturer reps?? As a nursing student, I recall the reps coming into the hospital and laying out a huge spread of food...free items...then it came to a stop! 1 of the last times I was in my GP's waiting room a drug rep was in, making an appointment to take the GP out for lunch,lol

 

First of all, I'm in Massachusetts. For the better part of the last ten years or so, drug companies can't so much as give me a pen. They can provide food for an accredited educational program. In these instances, the presenter will disclose any conflicts of interest up front.

 

When I was in training, I did receive a number of meals during such programs, and always had pens and pads of paper. Did I ever prescribe BECAUSE they did that? Of course not! Was I perhaps better versed in the indications for some of their products, therefore making me more likely to be an early adopter? Probably.

 

Now that I'm in practice, I have no desire to tie up my precious free time with such things. If I want our office to have lunch, or I want to go out to dinner, I but it.

 

But NONE of this even comes close to the snake oil nonsense I've seen some homeopaths scare patients into purchasing.

[soxfan2013]

From our guidelines:

 

Copyright Infringement

The posting of blocks of text obtained from anywhere on the Internet, online newspapers, web sites, Facebook and other social media sites, magazines, etc., defeats the purpose of our Cruise Boards. All of this information is available to everyone online, and doesn't add to the idea of sharing firsthand experiences and cruise advice. Also, the majority of information out there is protected by an author's individual copyright. Therefore, we will remove such information from the message boards. However, linking via url to the information is allowed.

 

The one exception to this would be Cruise Line press releases. You may post these word for word on the boards, if you clearly indicate the source.

 

This seems much addoo abt form over substance, but don't want to encourage copyright infringement (although citing news reports is frequent on bulletin boards). The OP raises a valid point the compensation of the doctors on the cruises. We had a monster blister and I was surprised to find out how expensive the doctor was just for a 5 min look-see...

 

Then, we learned about the nurse, and we were told that she would see us for free and would charge $40 if she did a procedure to pop the blister. That seemed reasonable. Now, the nurse can't prescribe meds...so if we had the flu or something, guess we'd be stuck, unless your doctor can phone in a scrip? I did once have a scrip phoned into a pharmacy in St. Thomas which we picked up right off the ship.

Edited September 16, 2015 by soxfan2013

[Host Walt]

Thanks! Not sure why you want to claim infringement, but it's mighty decent of you. Have a great cruise!

Sorry I wasn't more clear.

 

Earlier someone posted a cut and paste of the article that cle-guy linked in his post. The one cut and paste post had to be removed because it violated the copyright owned by the original publication. My post was to explain why that post was removed.

 

There are no other copyright issues with anything appearing in this thread.

 

Sorry again.

[Gig103]

Since we can't get to the original link without logging in, I found the following PDF, which was Celebrity's appeal to class-action lawsuit (which was denied):

 

http://www.3dca.flcourts.org/Opinions/3D14-3137.pdf

[cruisestitch]

Millennium's acupuncturist was a licensed physician, at least according to the information provided on board.