Narrative:

Medical emergency deviation from procedure. En route, the #1 flight attendant called and advised of a medical emergency in progress and to stand by while she checked the passenger for medical assistance. Seconds later, she called and told me she had found a doctor who was attending to the passenger. The passenger was found unconscious and foaming at the mouth. Those accompanying him said he was diabetic and had had heart surgery. I told the flight attendant we were about 45-50 mins from our destination but could be in rdu within mins. She said she would relay the information to the doctor. Again, she called and said the doctor recommended we land. I advised ATC of our medical emergency and desire to land at rdu. We were on the ground within mins where we were met by emt's who took the passenger away. I was then advised dispatch was holding on the jetway phone. They wanted to know if I had declared an emergency. I said only a medical emergency. They quizzed me again if emergency vehicles had met the aircraft. I replied yes. They then asked if I had used medical program. I said given past experience and the lack of time, no. They then said company wants medical program to be used due to the legal implications. Again, I told them of the expediency of the situation to which they replied the use of the medical program in procedure. I felt the well being of the passenger was paramount. Rdu, dispatch, ATC and all necessary parties were advised. Taking time in some sits to follow procedures is a judgement call. As captain of my aircraft, I am responsible for the safety of my passenger and crew. To follow procedure without thought and reason is foolish. I would not put the passenger's life nor anyone's in jeopardy just for the sake of legal responsibility. If a similar situation should arise, I would do nothing different.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AFTER A DIVERSION FOR AN ONBOARD MEDICAL EMER, AN ACR FLC IS QUESTIONED REGARDING THEIR DECISION TO NOT USE COMPANY PROVIDED GND MEDICAL ADVICE.

Narrative: MEDICAL EMER DEV FROM PROC. ENRTE, THE #1 FLT ATTENDANT CALLED AND ADVISED OF A MEDICAL EMER IN PROGRESS AND TO STAND BY WHILE SHE CHKED THE PAX FOR MEDICAL ASSISTANCE. SECONDS LATER, SHE CALLED AND TOLD ME SHE HAD FOUND A DOCTOR WHO WAS ATTENDING TO THE PAX. THE PAX WAS FOUND UNCONSCIOUS AND FOAMING AT THE MOUTH. THOSE ACCOMPANYING HIM SAID HE WAS DIABETIC AND HAD HAD HEART SURGERY. I TOLD THE FLT ATTENDANT WE WERE ABOUT 45-50 MINS FROM OUR DEST BUT COULD BE IN RDU WITHIN MINS. SHE SAID SHE WOULD RELAY THE INFO TO THE DOCTOR. AGAIN, SHE CALLED AND SAID THE DOCTOR RECOMMENDED WE LAND. I ADVISED ATC OF OUR MEDICAL EMER AND DESIRE TO LAND AT RDU. WE WERE ON THE GND WITHIN MINS WHERE WE WERE MET BY EMT'S WHO TOOK THE PAX AWAY. I WAS THEN ADVISED DISPATCH WAS HOLDING ON THE JETWAY PHONE. THEY WANTED TO KNOW IF I HAD DECLARED AN EMER. I SAID ONLY A MEDICAL EMER. THEY QUIZZED ME AGAIN IF EMER VEHICLES HAD MET THE ACFT. I REPLIED YES. THEY THEN ASKED IF I HAD USED MEDICAL PROGRAM. I SAID GIVEN PAST EXPERIENCE AND THE LACK OF TIME, NO. THEY THEN SAID COMPANY WANTS MEDICAL PROGRAM TO BE USED DUE TO THE LEGAL IMPLICATIONS. AGAIN, I TOLD THEM OF THE EXPEDIENCY OF THE SIT TO WHICH THEY REPLIED THE USE OF THE MEDICAL PROGRAM IN PROC. I FELT THE WELL BEING OF THE PAX WAS PARAMOUNT. RDU, DISPATCH, ATC AND ALL NECESSARY PARTIES WERE ADVISED. TAKING TIME IN SOME SITS TO FOLLOW PROCS IS A JUDGEMENT CALL. AS CAPT OF MY ACFT, I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SAFETY OF MY PAX AND CREW. TO FOLLOW PROC WITHOUT THOUGHT AND REASON IS FOOLISH. I WOULD NOT PUT THE PAX'S LIFE NOR ANYONE'S IN JEOPARDY JUST FOR THE SAKE OF LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY. IF A SIMILAR SIT SHOULD ARISE, I WOULD DO NOTHING DIFFERENT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.