MEMBERSHIP & INSURANCE
TIMELINE OF AN EMERGENCY CALL BY
MAT ÍA S
N O C H E TTO ,
M .D .
THE DAN EMERGENCY HOTLINE RECEIVES an average of 5,200 calls per year. DAN medics and physicians work 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to provide emergency medical assistance to divers in need. No matter where they are or what they are doing, these dedicated medical professionals answer the call. The following is a timeline of a recent case that exemplifies how things unfold when a diver calls DAN in an emergency.
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2:28 a.m. ET
Dutch Caribbean — Dive Resort Mr. Smith, who is 56 years old, cannot sleep. His urge to urinate is painful, and upon sitting up in bed he realizes his legs are numb. He is unsure if he can even stand up. Something is wrong. He wonders, “Am I bent? How is this possible? I did everything right.” Mrs. Smith advises her husband to call DAN.
2:35 a.m. ET
(6:35 p.m. New Zealand time) DAN’s Call Center in New Zealand A DAN medic’s phone rings. The medic answers the phone, and after a few initial questions Mr. Smith reports eight dives over the past two days and describes his symptoms. The DAN medic recognizes that this may be serious decompression sickness (DCS), which requires a timely response. The medic recommends that Mr. Smith seek an evaluation at the closest medical facility and call DAN once he is there so a medic can speak to the examining physician. Mr. Smith agrees to ask his dive buddy to help him get to the local clinic.
2:45 a.m. ET
The DAN medic calls the hyperbaric chamber on the island to alert them of a possible case of DCS. This case will likely push the limits of the facility’s capabilities. The hyperbaric doctor on staff agrees this could be a spinal cord hit and alerts the staff.
3:05 a.m. ET
Dutch Caribbean — Medical Clinic Mr. Smith and the evaluating physician call DAN for a consultation. The physician reports that his patient has bilateral lower-extremity weakness, decreased sensation and urinary retention. He agrees with DAN’s initial assessment that Mr. Smith likely has DCS. The DAN medic informs the physician that he has already alerted the local hyperbaric facility, and the physician arranges for an ambulance to transport the patient to the chamber.
3:45 a.m. ET
Dutch Caribbean — Recompression Chamber Facility Mr. Smith requires assistance to get into the chamber because he cannot walk and has a urinary catheter in place. The hyperbaric physician had agreed to treat the diver, but upon examination he realizes the case requires a higher level of care than his chamber can provide. He administers an initial hyperbaric chamber treatment while the DAN medic begins arranging an evacuation to a better-suited facility.
4:05 a.m. ET
(8:05 p.m. New Zealand time) DAN’s Call Center in New Zealand The DAN medic in New Zealand contacts DAN’s medical director in Durham, North Carolina, to brief him on the case; he concurs with the plan. The medic then contacts DAN TravelAssist, which arranges emergency medical evacuations, and briefs them on the case. It is determined that the most appropriate chamber facility for Mr. Smith is in Miami, Florida.
2021 SPECIAL EDITION
