Summer Camp Medical Issue . . .

[matuawarrior]

Hello Folks, It's been awhile.

 

Summer Camp starts in about a month and a half here. Everything is moving into place but it's to slow for my comfort. Yes, I know that our district has planned late, but what is new.

 

We have a New Camp Director fresh out of Camp School leading the pack (It's our DE). Our Program Director used to be the Camp Director for Day Camp so there is some expierence there. The Camp Commissioner is also new his position.

 

So here are the questions. Is it an Official BSA Camp without a Certified Medical Doctor/Nurse/or Medic on duty? Will the District/council be liable "IF" something happerns if there is no medical person on duty? What's the actual medical personnel requirement to run the camp?

 

Our Adhoc District Camp Planning Committee decided that since the camp will be at a military installation, we don't need a Medical person on duty. The Camp Staff can just call 911.

 

Now I'm trying not to get to involved with the planning since I'll be in Mainland this summer but this is a great concern to me.

 

Now I've checked the forum archives and I tried looking into my NCS binder but I cannot find the resource. When I was the Program Director and Camp Director we've always had a Doctor or Nurse on duty.

 

Thanks in advance,

Matua

[le Voyageur]

I'm somewhat rusty on my NCS requirements that need to be met concerning this issue....what I would suggest would be for your D.E. to contact the the C.O. of the base and see if he can get a Corpman or two who would enjoy going TAD for a few weeks.

 

 

[dsteele]

The information you're looking for is in the National Standards for resident camps. On a military installation, it shouldn't be tough to find a qualified medic to be the health officer for the camp. It sounds like they'll be "on site" if not right in the area of the camp. It's been a while since I've looked at the standards, but I think you're okay as long as there's an established location for contacting the health officer.

 

Unc.

[Adrianvs]

Fortunately, I happen to have a copy of the 2004 National Camp Standards for Cub Scout/Boy Scout Residence Camps sitting right here.. :-)

 

--------

Standard Number M-34: (The M designates this standard as mandatory.)

 

The council has engaged a physician licensed to practice medicine as a health supervisor to approve and oversee the health care practices of this camp. Current written operating procedures are approved annually by the licensed physician.

 

The on-site camp health officer is a responsible adult holding a current license or training as required for the position. Check one:

 

___ Physician

 

___ Nurse Practitioner

 

___ Nurse (RN, LPN, or LVN)

 

___ Physician's assistant

 

___ Medical student (completion of second year or more)

 

___ Paramedic

 

___ Emergency medical technician

 

___ Military corpsman/medic

 

___ First responder program (any training provided by a nationally recognized agency): Alternative coverage could consist of American Red Cross Emergency Response, which includes CPR; or National Safety Council First Aid and Advanced CPR; or Outdoor Emergency Care conducted by the National Ski Patrol, which includes CPR; as a minimum requirement as long as a current letter of agreement states that an advanced life-support system's response time to the camp health lodge is less than 10 minutes.

 

The camp health officer also has current training in CPR by a recognized community agency:

 

The camp health officer has completed the one-time computer-based self-study Camp Health Officer's Training Course, available from the Health and Safety Service at the national office.

 

There is an established location for contacting the on-site camp health officer.

 

One staff member for every 40 campers must be coached in first aid practices for conditions most likely to occur in camp, and trained in CPR by a recognized agency.

 

When the health officer is out of camp, another adult with the above qualifications is available, or nearby emergency coverage is provided.

 

-------

 

So there you go. If the camp is at a military base, you may be able to conscript a military medical person as your Health Officer. I don't think that they have to be registered BSA members like other staff members.

 

I'm surprised that your Camp Director and Program Director don't have their own copies of the Camp Standards. I assumed that all BSA camps underwent inspection to be accredited. These Standards are the guidelines that inspection teams use to determine this.

[dsteele]

Adrianvs:

 

Thank you for your quote from the National Standards. Actually, I think a medic/corpsman would have to be registered with the BSA. Isn't there a standard that all members of the staff are registered with the BSA? There used to be. If so, they can register as "camp staff" and the camp should pick up the fee.

 

Unc.

[scoutldr]

As I stated before, my objection is during check-in when I (a 50 year old adult) am subjected to being questioned in front of a group by a 14 y.o. CIT about items on my health form and medications (WHat's THAT for?)...and come to find out she's not even medical staff...she worked in the handicraft area. It may not violate any rules, but it ain't proper.

[SR540Beaver]

scoutldr,

 

With the new HIPPA laws, our scout camp made everyone stand in line outside the health hut last year and only allowed one person at a time to enter and be questioned. There was no group to listen in. You might suggest that approach. Privacy is the law.

[packsaddle]

SR540Beaver, That's the way our camp has done it for as long as I can remember. I assumed it was SOP. Our check-in is done by the person in command of the health lodge, no CITs or similar. I think they do a great job.

[le Voyageur]

ScoutLdr...

 

I agree with you a hundred percent, medical records should, and must be kept private. However, there is an exception to that standard. As a staff EMT this summer I'll be needing to share with our guides information about any and all medical conditions that their crew members may have before they head out, and how to handle it in the field should it become a problem....

 

But, for a base camp, such a procedure is really ever needed....

 

[Fat Old Guy]

"With the new HIPPA laws, our scout camp made everyone stand in line outside the health hut last year and only allowed one person at a time to enter and be questioned."

 

This was run into the ground last year. HIPPA has no effect on BSA camps.

[NeilLup]

It is probably obvious, but I would note that there doesn't need to be only one camp medical officer. Two or more persons can share the duty (spelling each other) provided they meet the qualifications as outlined. This could help on base as there might be several EMTs who each could take a day.

[Fat Old Guy]

"As I stated before, my objection is during check-in when I (a 50 year old adult) am subjected to being questioned in front of a group by a 14 y.o. CIT"

 

Maybe I got used to it with sports physicals and military physicals with 100 naked guys standing in a line but it really doesn't bother me. They make sure the contact information is correct. That I have my meds with me. They ask if I have any special concerns that the med staff should know about. Pretty painless.

[Owl62]

In addition to privacy issues (during camp check-in, etc), I am concerned with storage and access of BSA health records.

 

Most camps and Scouting activities keep our BSA health forms. We are not told why, or how or where they are stored or who has access to them or who is the legal custodian of those records, or what the disposition of those records will be.

 

While it is true that HIPPA does not necessarily apply, there are other state and federal laws relating to medical records or confidentially that most certainly do. I think that under certain conditions, BSA camps, etc, could be considered a healthcare provider.

 

There is a lot of personal health information on those forms that should be accessed and released only to authorized persons with a specific need to know. I think that upon surrendering our health information we should be provided with a BSA statement or policy on those records with complete information as to where they are stored, who has access to them and what the disposition will be.

 

Does anyone know of any actual BSA policy on handling, storage, access and disposition of BSA health records?

 

 

[DuckyTheSecond]

Owl, I'm not 100% sure on the official policy's of BSA, too new to the beauaracy for that, I can ask my boss and find out. I do, however, know that camp keeps Med Records, of staff at least, for like 2 or 3 years. This is to insure that if there is an outbreak or something that we have track-back records. Again, I'll email my DE and find out for you if you'd like.

[eagle96]

I have been a camps health officer for several years now. I hold all the physicals under lock and key in our health lodge where only myself and the camp director can access them in emergencies. After the week, all of the physicals are given back to the adult leaders upon checkout.

 

We also have everyone go through the process of checking over the physicals to alert us of any major issues we need to know about (food allergies, other allergies, major health problems, etc...) This is done on an individual basis to meet all the privacy laws.