Air Canada Ordered to Pay Dr. For Mid-Air Consult

[Widow]

Doctor charges Air Canada for inflight house call.

Canwest News Service
July 10, 2009

MONTREAL - Air Canada has been ordered to pay a Montreal doctor $1, 000 to compensate him for assisting a fellow passenger.

Dr. Henry Coopersmith was flying in executive class to Paris in October 2006 when flight attendants asked if there was a doctor on board who could help some ill passengers.

Coopersmith, a medical doctor, responded by helping one passenger, while another was seen by a second doctor.

Later, Coopersmith was awoken by a flight attendant, asking him to stop the second doctor from injecting the passenger with Valium, saying she hadn't been able to verify the other doctor's credentials.

Coopersmith reluctantly treated the passenger and said he was unable to sleep during the remainder of the flight.

He asked the airline for two free executive-class tickets, but Air Canada offered one short-haul flight.

Judge David Cameron ruled Coopersmith's claim ``exaggerated'' and awarded him $1,000.

Air Canada said it was studying the decision.

http://www.canada.com/Doctor+charges+Ca ... story.html

[SkyWolfe]

So... was the other guy a Doctor too?

Chivalry is dead.

[roger.roger]

He could always write a youtube song

If the doctor saved the guy's life the paitent should happily buy the doc the tickets

[roger.roger]

So... was the other guy a Doctor too?

does it matter? one varifiyed doctor the other wasen't I know who I want treating me

[bigredone]

Cool. The next time I go for my Cat1 and the Doc asks "How's the flying thing going" I will yell CHA-CHING BABY!! and charge him $500. Maybe $500.75 to cover my gas to the office.

[Old fella]

Doctor charges Air Canada for inflight house call.

Canwest News Service
July 10, 2009

MONTREAL - Air Canada has been ordered to pay a Montreal doctor $1, 000 to compensate him for assisting a fellow passenger.

Dr. Henry Coopersmith was flying in executive class to Paris in October 2006 when flight attendants asked if there was a doctor on board who could help some ill passengers.

Coopersmith, a medical doctor, responded by helping one passenger, while another was seen by a second doctor.

Later, Coopersmith was awoken by a flight attendant, asking him to stop the second doctor from injecting the passenger with Valium, saying she hadn't been able to verify the other doctor's credentials.

Coopersmith reluctantly treated the passenger and said he was unable to sleep during the remainder of the flight.

He asked the airline for two free executive-class tickets, but Air Canada offered one short-haul flight.

Judge David Cameron ruled Coopersmith's claim ``exaggerated'' and awarded him $1,000.

Air Canada said it was studying the decision.

http://www.canada.com/Doctor+charges+Ca ... story.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCTYxIsLThA

[Inverted2]

What a cheap bastard! Doctors make what, 150k a year and up depending on what they specialize in, and this guy gets asked to help his fellow man (or woman) in flight and he expects to be paid?

[aileron]

I guess the next time the purser asks if there is a pilot on board we could be compensated for around $195 (ok, low end - high end, $600).

[dashx]

Maybe, just maybe, next time he will keep his mouth shut and get all the sleep he needs....

But he made his point.......

[SerialKiller]

What a greedy fucking bastard. Doctors like him are part of the reason Canada's health care system are in shambles.

[The Mole]

Bad karma on everyones part. First the doctor for the asshole greedy move. Second the airline, They could have offered him some decent compensation, for helping them out in a jam. Cheap bastards. Just proves aircanada customer service just has no clue, how to thank people. The passenger, hope they said thanks, and sent him nice card.

[Lakelad]

As the Doc saw it....

[wooden spoon]

the doctor should be ashamed of him/her self.no excuse.hyprocratic oath my a_ _.He/she should remember somebody may be required to pull him/her out of the water sometime,what a nice person.

[SerialKiller]

Perhaps we should all make comments on this website.

http://www.ratemds.com/doctor-ratings/6 ... oopersmith

[roger.roger]

Ya that cheap piece of shit refuses to work for free............how retarded I mean if I was a passenger on a 747 and the pilot and co-pilot and auto pilot and FMS all ate the fish and got food poisining and was woken from my sleep and lives depended on me knowing WTF I was doing and I was on vacation $1000.00 is definitly worth my time....................................are you fucking kidding me. Why the @#$! do you think I laugh so hard at Tony giving me 10 J class around the world. The Doctor probibly paid $7000 for him and his wife to not be disturbed for 10 hrs and they fucking woke the guy up twice. What are you worth/hr. Hey Tony when the last time you saw a screaming 10 year old in J class

[flying4dollars]

Wow. I have no respect for this man (the doc). It's like me on a commercial flight as a passenger, where the pilots are both incapacitated and I was the ONLY licensed pilot on board. I get in, land the plane safely, then ask for compensation.

Yeah....

[JBI]

...

[KnownIce]

I wonder if he checked beforehand whether the malpractice insurance he has covers paid work that is potentially outside of his field of practice, while flying outside of his licensed/insured province of practice?

It's going to become a lot harder for the rest of the profession to count on "Good Samaritan Act" (Ontario below, similar across provinces) when volunteering care onboard aircraft.

Good Samaritan Act, 2001

S.O. 2001, CHAPTER 2

Consolidation Period: From April 27, 2001 to the e-Laws currency date.

No amendments.

Definition

1. In this Act,

"health care professional" means a member of a College of a health profession set out in Schedule 1 to the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991. 2001, c. 2, s. 1.

Protection from liability

2. (1) Despite the rules of common law, a person described in subsection (2) who voluntarily and without reasonable expectation of compensation or reward provides the services described in that subsection is not liable for damages that result from the person's negligence in acting or failing to act while providing the services, unless it is established that the damages were caused by the gross negligence of the person. 2001, c. 2, s. 2 (1).

Persons covered

(2) Subsection (1) applies to,

(a) a health care professional who provides emergency health care services or first aid assistance to a person who is ill, injured or unconscious as a result of an accident or other emergency, if the health care professional does not provide the services or assistance at a hospital or other place having appropriate health care facilities and equipment for that purpose; and

(b) an individual, other than a health care professional described in clause (a), who provides emergency first aid assistance to a person who is ill, injured or unconscious as a result of an accident or other emergency, if the individual provides the assistance at the immediate scene of the accident or emergency. 2001, c. 2, s. 2 (2).

Reimbursement of expenses

(3) Reasonable reimbursement that a person receives for expenses that the person reasonably incurs in providing the services described in subsection (2) shall be deemed not to be compensation or reward for the purpose of subsection (1). 2001, c. 2, s. 2 (3).

3. Omitted (provides for coming into force of provisions of this Act). 2001, c. 2, s. 3.

4. Omitted (enacts short title of this Act). 2001, c. 2, s. 4.

http://www.search.e-laws.gov.on.ca/en/i ... s&context=

[Liquid Charlie]

I suspect this is not about getting his fee for service but getting back at air canada for a shitty ride -- and btw -- docs get called upon more than you think in an airplane -- and by the sounds of this case -- someone getting stuck with valium it sounds like the hole thing was a farce and the doc was pissed -- no life and death situation there -- just a strung out passenger -- should of just duck taped him/her to the armrests --

There was a time when F/A's had medical training - now that's gone (except for basic first aid) - the airlines have had a free ride on the backs of doctors for years -- anti up boys -- a pass costs very little -- and while your at it make it for the whole family.

Just because pilots work for nothing doesn't mean a doctor should

[C-FABH]

If there weren't any doctors on board, would the airline have had to divert and land to deal with the medical emergencies? The doc may have ended up saving the airline money for his help.

In some cases this is true, but this wasn't exactly cardiac arrest. My understanding is that it was an anxious passenger that had a panic attack would hardly necessitate a diversion unless they became increasingly violent and belligerent. Not to say it couldn't happen, but this entire event seems to be quite minor in nature.

It's standard procedure to make a PA for any medical staff (volunteers, that is). During every medical event, the crew also makes communication with doctors on the ground, which provide advice on what might be required - so, given the example of "no doctors on board" - they still receive some help.

I wonder if he checked beforehand whether the malpractice insurance he has covers paid work that is potentially outside of his field of practice, while flying outside of his licensed/insured province of practice

There is paperwork that Air Canada has the Doctor sign to prevent any lawsuits. Unfortunately, having him sign this paperwork "disrupted his sleep".

[Spokes]

Hmmmm, doctor expects to get paid for working at his chosen profession. I can see why so many posts are agains't that. We are talking about pilots here after all. Now looking back in the posts I can also see who thinks its reasonable to work for free. Hell, I expect some would even think that the doctor should have paid for the opportunity to work at his chosen proffession.

[Dagwood]

We didn't hear of the maintenance man suing the airline for his help last week.

People should be willing to help out without always thinking "what's in it for me?" or "what can I get out of this"

Doctor -1

[A2G]

I think it's a balance between doing a good deed or doing work. If the pilots died on a flight I was on, and I had to jump in to save everyone on board then I would consider that a good Samaritan act, and the only thing I might consider asking for is a job with them if it was better then where I was at. But I wouldn't demand money for it. Now if I was asked by some company to fly some rubber dog shit into some shit hole in bad weather, well then I'd probably want some money.

I guess the doctor felt like he was performing work more so than an act of a good Samaritan....speaking of which, isn't there a "good Samaritan law" in Canada?

I guess a persons character is shown by what they consider work vs. an act of a good person.

[RyanF]

Wow, that's a bit of a shock. My grandfather (WWII pilot) was flying Westjet back from Florida to Toronto and died of a heart attack on the flight home. A cardiologist was on board at the time and did everything he could to try to save him. Ambulances, police, and doctors were waiting at Pearson for the plane to land, they piled a bunch of resources into this and didn't ask for anything. Exactly why I try to fly Westjet whenever possible.

[Liquid Charlie]

My personal experience is that while the air lines will take all liability responsibility they fall very short on treating the physicians with respect and gratitude - they exploit the Hippocratic Oath. I witnessed where a doctor responded to a very sick passenger at the gate and then the captain wanted to leave the doc behind because of the time delay with the hand off to the paramedics. -- give me a f'n break -- and we like to think of ourselves as professionals

If a pilot was able to fly any airplane and you were sitting in the back and were asked to fly the aircraft to destination because one of the crew didn't show up -- would you not want some recognition for doing so. To treat the passenger in flight and save the expense of an off schedule landing -- come on guys -- nope -- I think physicians deserve a lot better treatment than the offer of a single domestic ticket (with all sorts of restrictions) -- especially when it's not a situation that requires life and death intervention. I know most Docs would not expect it but it would be nice to see them treated with less complacency. At the end of the day there will be less health care professionals answering that PA --