III. attachments
(1) Marine emergency care
(requesting a doctor's visit at sea-Medical support communications-)
1. Request procedure
After being advised that "a doctor's visit at sea is necessary," the owner or its agent sends a dispatch request directly to the local Marine Emergency Center which has charge over the ship's current location. (Telephone numbers are listed on page 130.) The patient's present condition must be reported as follows to the party concerned.
2. Determining the specialty of the doctor to be dispatched
Once the general symptoms have been reported by radio medical communication, is possible to request a visit from a doctor in a certain field of specialization, and to determine whether a nurse also needs to be dispatched.
｡?Doctor's fields of specialization
1]Injuries involving broken bones→Orthopedics
2]Injuries involving serious blows to the head→Neurosurgery
3]Conditions such as high blood pressure, cerebral hemorrhage, etc.
→Circulatory system(Internal medicine, surgery)
4]Heart-related problems such as cardiac infarction
→Circulatory system (Internal medicine, surgery)
5]Problems involving internal organs, mainly stomach pains and vomiting blood
→Digestive system (Internal medicine, surgery)
6]Opthamology, otorhinology, dentistry, etc.
These classifications are very useful in selecting the right specialist, and also in determinig what drugs and medical supplies need to be brought.
3. Location of patient's ship, direction of sail and weather conditions
The ship's location and direction of sail are extremely important. The Maritime Safety Agency's patrol boats(with helicopters on board)can only operate within about I ,500 nautical miles of their home base. In stormy weather, the rescue ship may reach the ship but be unable to take the patient on board. The rescue crew must transfer the patient before the doctor can examine him.
4. Actual doctor's visits at sea
If advice is given by radio medical communication that a doctor's visit is necessary, the ship's owner sends a request to a Marine Emergency Center, which in turn sends a request to the appropriate hospital. Even after a decision is made, it will be several hours before a rescue ship with a doctor on board leaves port. Because of the dangers of night flying, helicopters are scheduled to rendezvous with the ship during the daytime whenever possible. Until the visiting doctor reaches the patient's ship, medical communications(medical support communications)are handled by the doctor on board the rescue ship.
