Superseded - Pre-Employment Medicals - Clinic Selection Guidelines

CIRCULATED TO ALL MEMBERS, BROKERS AND DIRECTORS

URGENT NOTICE: THIS CIRCULAR IS OBSOLETE AND ANY QUERIES SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO JUDITH BURDUS/LUCY DIXON.  INFORMATION OUTLINING THE CURRENT ARRANGEMENTS CAN BE VIEWED IN LOSS PREVENTION BRIEFING – PRE EMPLOYMENT MEDICALS – WORLDWIDE.

It is estimated that crew illness claims cost the Association $8 million last year.

One single serious illness claim can force a vessel to deviate and lose time, with all the attendant commercial consequences. The resultant hospitalisation, medical treatment and related expenses may potentially cost the Association hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Many such claims could have been avoided if the crewmember had been required to submit to a comprehensive pre-employment medical examination by a reliable medical facility or clinic.

It was for this reason that we implemented our scheme for enhanced pre-employment medicals in the Philippines three years ago. Members who have utilised the scheme have found it very effective, however, so far it has been limited to the Philippines.  The Association has had a number of approaches from Members asking for advice about effective screening in other crew supply areas.

Consideration has been given to our setting up screening programs in some other major crew supply areas. The Association has concluded that it would be difficult to decide where our next program should target, and if we included all areas there would be problems maintaining the regular close personal contact with clinics which is required for effective quality control.

Our research has shown that many Members prefer to have freedom of choice needing little more than some qualified advice about selection of their own clinics, and some guidance about what medical tests should be undertaken to afford them some protection against claims for seafarers who present with medical problems, some of which should be detected during pre employment medical screening.

We have decided the way forward is for us to produce, in association with Medical Rescue International, our retained medical advisors on our scheme in the Philippines, guidelines which Members can use for themselves when seeking to employ the services of a clinic anywhere in the world with ‘model’ examinations for their clinics to work from.

The guidelines for selection of clinics are split into two sections. 

1) Enquiries to make prior to any personal visit  

 2) A check list for when facilities are inspected first hand.

In the event Members would prefer to have any clinics inspected by a specialist in this field of medicine, Medical Rescue International have agreed to act as consultants and can be contacted directly by Members at which time details of fees can be provided.

The ‘model’ examinations take into account certain constitutional ailments for specific groups and certain conditions which are induced by eating and drinking habits in other groups, as well as looking at causes of medical claims in the Association’s claim statistics.

Some countries may have minimum standards for medicals. These can be basic and should only be the starting point for the screening process if it is to be an effective loss prevention measure. 

The full guidelines with explanatory notes are attached below for the use of all Members. Members may also contact Judith Burdus or David Rearden of the Association on normal contact numbers.

Medical Rescue International’s contact numbers are available on request. 

J BURDUS

SENIOR EXECUTIVE (CLAIMS)

North Insurance Management Limited

As Managers on behalf of the North of England P&I Association Limited