DAMAGED....Dr. Felix showing the damaged hand of Madam T.
ON THE 2nd February 2012, the Sabah DAP Medical Advisory Bureau Chief, Dr. Felix Chong Kat Fah received a complaint from a patient, and visited Madam 'T' who is 60 year old and was warded in QEH2 before the Chinese New Year.
This pleasant but unfortunate lady was previously diagnosed with Breast Cancer, and underwent a Left sided Mastectomy (Operation to remove cancer tissue affecting the breast and surrounding areas).
She was put on a regime consisting of six cycles of Chemotherapy. Each Chemo cycle involves the Intravenous injection of Chemotherapeutic drugs. These Chemotherapeutic drugs have a lot of side- effects which includes Nausea, vomiting, hair loss, fatigue, infection and bleeding (just to name a few).
Chemotherapy drugs work by damaging the dividing cancer cells and preventing further reproduction. These drugs are toxic and can also damage normal cells as well and so have to be administered safely and with care.
Dr. Felix Chong was informed that on the 28th December 2011, Madam T went to QEH2 for her final (the sixth chemotherapy cycle). As usual, an Intravenous needle and IV drip set was set up on her right arm to deliver the Chemotherapeutic drug, but this time her tissues started to swell up and her skin started to burn, became blacken and was associated with much pain.
The chemo drug had extravasation (leaked out) from the vein due to the IV needle wrongly placed and puncturing the already fragile vein.
The IV Chemo drug was stopped but the damage had been done by the toxic chemo agent. Madam T was not happy as she noted that the paramedical staff attending on her was chit-chatting, laughing and watching TV, instead of concentrating on what he was doing. Also the ward was full of other people although it was not visiting hours.
As a note, the sixth and final Chemo cycle had to be continued despite what had happened.
What followed was almost two months of extra pain and suffering where her right arm tissue was burnt, swollen up, developed gangrene and had to be derided (cleaned). It was also very painful to move her right arm and fingers.
On 18th January 2012, Skin Grafting operation was done on her arm where skin from her legs were removed and used to cover her right arm. All this could have been prevented with a bit of extra care.
Dr. Felix Chong hopes the hospital can take this case / incident seriously and carry out an independent investigation or audit. This is to prevent future medical mistakes or negligence like this from occurring again. There needs to be a tightening up of their 'SOP' (Standard Operating Procedure) and proper training of staff involved in administering of Chemotherapy.
Being one of the many cases of medical mistakes reported to us, it could be only the tip of the iceberg.
How many more unreported medical negligence, medical mistakes or even 'Near Misses' are there that is causing preventable, unnecessary pain, suffering, morbidity and (God Forbid) Fatality?
“According to the Institute of Medicine, preventable medical errors kill as many as 98,000 Americans every year, and injure countless more. If the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) were to include preventable medical errors as a category, it would be the sixth leading cause of death in America.” Medical Negligence: The Role of America’s Civil Justice System in Protecting Patients’ Rights, American Association for Justice, February 2011.
Dr. Felix calls upon those to come forward without fear to make known their cases in order for the Ministry of Health to pay particular attention and make precautious measures to avoid such incident happening again. It is for the good of other people in the future.
However, we should be able to expect better.
ReplyDeletepihak hospital harus tingkat kualiti dan sedaya upaya mengelak sebarang kecuaian yang boleh memberi kesan buruk kepada pesakit
ReplyDeletekecuaian pihak hospital yang menyebabkan keadaan pesakit makin teruk, mereka harus elakkan kecuaian berlaku.
Deletekualiti perkhidmatan harus sentiasa dipertingkatkan dari masa ke masa.
DeleteMutu perubatan harus sentiasa dipertingkatkan, jangan merisikokan mana-mana pihak.
DeleteDoctor sendiri harus bertanggung jawab terhadap penyakit.
Deletethe hospital seriously need to train the staff to be professional and serious about their jobs!
ReplyDeleteNegligence is not something that can be accepted or use as an excuse.
DeleteIf the staff are not serious about their job, then they should be fired. Don't allow this kind of people to work in the hospital. The hospital need to hire a caring staff with strong knowledge of their jobscope.
ReplyDeleteSetuju dengan Saudara Jason, mereka yang cuai dan tidak menumpukan perhatian dalam tugasan harian mereka tidak patut dibenarkan terus berkhidmat.
Deletemereka yang cuai harus dikenakan tindakan tegas. jgn biar mereka mengulanginya lagi.
Deletekecuaian dan kelalaian yang sedikit pun mampu membawa kepada risiko yang besar. harap kakitangan hospital sentiasa beringat.
Deletekakitangan yang cuai ketika melakukan tugasan harus dikenakan tindakan yang sewajarnya.
DeleteGuess Sabah needs more qualify doctors and trained and dedicated nurses.This is to reduce the ratio of doctors to patient.
ReplyDeleteAgree, shouldn't risk the people life and health.
DeletePenyelewengan daripada pekerja yang cuai ini patut ditangai supaya pesakit tidak menghadapi masalah yang sama pada masa depan. Mereka yang bekerja dalam sektor ini sepatutnya sentiasa cermat.
ReplyDeletesesuatu perlu dilakukan agar kecuaian dapat dielakkan pada masa hadapan.
DeleteThe health institutions should provide better care for the people.
ReplyDeleteSabah akan menikmati RM4bil melalui Kementerian Kesihatan untuk meningkatkan kemudahan dan keberkesanan perkidmatan.
ReplyDeletesemoga ini akan dapat meningkatkan taraf kemudahan kesihatan di Sabah.
DeleteDoktor dan jururawat perlu ada kemahiran tinggi dan kualiti kerja tinggi untuk mengelak daripada kejadian yang sama berulang
ReplyDeleteThis is one of the sad incident happened in K.K hospital. Hope the staff will be more professional to handle the patent in the long run.
ReplyDeleteKecuaian amatlah dikesali. Maka kita harap pihak hospital lebih berhati-hati ketita menjalankan tugas.
ReplyDeleteOnce the doctor on duty, make sure they are perform 100% well.
Deletethen Dr Felix should take over the job so that there is no negligence occur in the future again..
ReplyDeletepihak hospital sememangnya perlu menyiasat kenapa kecuain ini boleh berlaku.. jika disebabkan masalah kekurangan staff, ada ramai lagi penganggur lepasan bidang perubatan diluar sana..
ReplyDeletesebarang kecuaian harus sentiasa dielakkan agar tidak berlaku pada masa akan datang.
ReplyDeletePastikan doctor yang berkelayakan yang menjawat. Rakyat akan kehilangan yakin dengan hospital kerajaan yang sering membuat kesalahan.
ReplyDeleteAll new doctor and nurse should be well trained.
ReplyDeletePihak hospital harus bertanggung jawab kepada semua penyakit. Jangan sesekali merisikokan nyawa penyakit atas kecuaiannya.
ReplyDeleteOnce the doctor and nurse step in the hospital, they need to 100% concentrate and be responsible to everyone.
ReplyDeleteJika perkara kecuaian ini berulang, pasti ada sesuatu yang tidak betul.
ReplyDeleteDr. Felix calls upon those to come forward without fear to make known their cases in order for the Ministry of Health to pay particular attention and make precautious measures to avoid such incident happening again.
ReplyDeleteMinistry Of Health should participate to ensure the operation in the hospital achieve top quality.