The RSTC diver medical questionnaire, online
Every diver answers the standard diver medical questionnaire before they dive. On paper it is easy to skip a question or tick NO down the page in a hurry. Online, every question has to be answered, and every YES is flagged for you before the dive.
What the diver medical questionnaire is
The diver medical questionnaire, developed by the Recreational Scuba Training Council (RSTC), is the standard health screening form used by the major dive training agencies. Divers answer a list of yes-or-no questions about their health. A YES to certain questions means the diver needs a doctor’s approval before diving.
Dive shops ask every diver to complete it before courses and, in many shops, before fun dives too.
Problems with the paper form
- Questions get skipped, and there is no way to notice until someone reads the form carefully.
- Divers in a hurry tick NO all the way down without reading.
- Divers who don’t read English well guess at what the questions mean.
- Forms full of medical information sit in folders and boxes, readable by anyone who opens them.
How the online questionnaire works
- Divers answer it on their own phone, as part of registering with your shop.
- They answer in their own language. The questionnaire is available in 13 languages: English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Russian, Chinese, Filipino, Vietnamese, Thai, Japanese and Korean. You read the answers in English.
- Every question must be answered before the diver can continue.
- Every YES is flagged on the diver’s record in your dashboard, so staff see it before the dive.
- Divers who need medical clearance can upload their doctor’s form with their registration.
Keeping medical information private
Medical answers are among the most sensitive information a dive shop holds. In SignToDive, medical answers are encrypted with a key unique to your shop. Only you and the staff logins you create can see your divers’ information, and SignToDive staff don’t browse shop records.
In the Philippines, the Data Privacy Act of 2012 (Republic Act 10173) treats health information as sensitive personal information, so keeping it locked down is not just good practice.
Refresher alerts
Alongside the medical questions, divers say when they last dived. If a certified diver’s last dive was over a year ago, SignToDive flags them and emails you straight away, so you can suggest a refresher before the boat leaves.
Questions
Can divers fill in the RSTC medical questionnaire on their phone?
Yes. With SignToDive, divers answer the diver medical questionnaire on their own phone in their own language, as part of registering with your shop.
What happens when a diver answers YES?
The YES is flagged on the diver’s record so your staff see it before the dive. The diver can upload a doctor’s clearance with their registration.
Who can see divers’ medical answers?
Only the shop the diver registered with, through the logins the shop creates. Medical answers are encrypted with a key unique to that shop.