Tuesday, January 22, 2008

What can be done about Medical Malpractice?

I heard of so many other cases of malpractice, negligence and institutional inefficiencies, although I dont have the details. It is not only at St. Lukes, but in many other medical institutions. I was also recently operated on and had difficulties all along the way in dealing with doctors, hospital personnel and insurance agencies. My brother also had troubles in dealing with his brain tumor - almost harassed by one doctor to proceed with one procedure which could have been fatal.

Unfortunately, it seems that the legal system (and ethics/camaraderie among medical professionals) in the Philippines is not capable of handling valid complaints of medical malpractice and institutional negligence

But what can we do?

I thought that one way is to set up a medical consumer protection network where users of medical services can consult with and report to. For example, I want to be informed about experiences of patients who went through treatment that is similar to my ailment to help me in making decisions. Also professional fees, troubles to anticipate, what to do in any eventuality, and so on. And I also want to share the medical treatment I received. Maybe, even to rate doctors, hospitals and so on. Perhaps there can be reviews and ratings of hospitals - just like the internet based product or services reviews.

The idea here is not to replace the expert opinions and diagnosis of health professionals, but to provide some additional information from the perspective of consumers or users of medical services.

I belong to a non-government network and I think many will be open to this type of protection network. Jessie's death is a senseless one. These things could have been avoided. But for as long as there is no public accountability or ethical audit system, incidents such as Jessie's case will continue to happen without the public knowing about this, and without responsibility and accountability on the part of the medical sector.

Rene Raya rrraya@gmail.com
Action for Economic Reforms
Quezon City Phils

7 comments:

ABM International Consultancy said...

Am a medical doctor myself but an advocate for the crafting of a modified malpractice law for the Philippines. Please check it this website for your reference http://projectdangal.webs.com/medicalmalpractice.htm

Shilpa John said...

Many people don’t realize how frequently medical malpractice occurs. In fact, thousands of people every year are either injured from medical malpractice or medical negligence, or die from injuries or illnesses that could have been prevented or treated with proper medical care.If you or a loved one has been injured or if a loved one has died as a result of medical malpractice, contact an experienced medical malpractice attorney. Medical malpractice claims can be difficult because health records must be researched and rules and regulations must be followed in order to prove that injuries were sustained or aggravated as a result of the medical malpractice or medical negligence.For More Information visit us at:- Clinical Negligence.

Unknown said...

rizzamae_arante@yahoo.com


March 1, 2011 at around 4:30pm my 3 year old daughter was admitted at FATIMA MEDICAL CENTER, Valenzuela City with the chief complaints of moderate abdominal pain associated with several episodes of vomiting and on and off fever. Assessment data ( as stated at clinical abstract)
Admitting Impression: TO CONSIDER URINARY TRACT INFECTION WITH SOME DEHYDRATION....here is the assessment data!!!!
HEENT: anicteric sclera, pale palpebral conjuntiva, (-)tonsillopharyngeal congestion, (-) cervical lymphadenopathy, sunken eyeballs, dry lips, dry oral mucusa
CHEST/LUNGS: Symmetrical chest expansion, claer breath sounds,(-)retractions
HEART: Adynamic precordium,regular rhythm,slightly thachycardic, (-) murmur
EXTREMETIES: full and equal pulses,(-)cyanosis,(-) edema

IV Fluid started ,Laboratory test and chest x-ray done. Was given diphenhydramine IV at around 6:00pm. Vomited at emergency room twice but no further examination conducted.

She was brought to pedia ward around 8:30pm with ongoing IV fluid. Still vomited twice but scanty in amount. Put on strict NPO .Around 12mn she was febrile and was given paracetamol syrup by the nurse on duty and diphenhydramine IVTT was administered.

Around 2 am she experienced difficulty of breathing, IVF site dislodged, nurses and attending physicians reinserted many times but failed. It was so sudden, 3 doctors resuscitated. 5:45 am my daughter was pronounced dead. Final Diagnosis....CARDIAC ARREST SECONDARY TO SEVERE DEHYDRATION!!!!!!!

March 3, 2011...9:00pm NBI did an autopsy...result: cause of death is RUPTURED VISCUS
PLEASE SUPPORT US...WE ARE FILING A CASE RIGHT NOW....PLEASE!!!!

Unknown said...

PLEASE HELP AND SUPPORT US......JUSTICE FOR MY PRECIOUS CHILD......PLEASE VISIT ..rizzamaearante@yahoo.com at FACEBOOK

09281994718

March 1, 2011 at around 4:30pm my 3 year old daughter was admitted at FATIMA MEDICAL CENTER, Valenzuela City with the chief complaints of moderate abdominal pain associated with several episodes of vomiting and on and off fever. Assessment data ( as stated at clinical abstract)
Admitting Impression: TO CONSIDER URINARY TRACT INFECTION WITH SOME DEHYDRATION....here is the assessment data!!!!
HEENT: anicteric sclera, pale palpebral conjuntiva, (-)tonsillopharyngeal congestion, (-) cervical lymphadenopathy, sunken eyeballs, dry lips, dry oral mucusa
CHEST/LUNGS: Symmetrical chest expansion, claer breath sounds,(-)retractions
HEART: Adynamic precordium,regular rhythm,slightly thachycardic, (-) murmur
EXTREMETIES: full and equal pulses,(-)cyanosis,(-) edema

IV Fluid started ,Laboratory test and chest x-ray done. Was given diphenhydramine IV at around 6:00pm. Vomited at emergency room twice but no further examination conducted.

She was brought to pedia ward around 8:30pm with ongoing IV fluid. Still vomited twice but scanty in amount. Put on strict NPO .Around 12mn she was febrile and was given paracetamol syrup by the nurse on duty and diphenhydramine IVTT was administered.

Around 2 am she experienced difficulty of breathing, IVF site dislodged, nurses and attending physicians reinserted many times but failed. It was so sudden, 3 doctors resuscitated. 5:45 am my daughter was pronounced dead. Final Diagnosis....CARDIAC ARREST SECONDARY TO SEVERE DEHYDRATION!!!!!!!

March 3, 2011...9:00pm NBI did an autopsy...result: cause of death is RUPTURED VISCUS

Anonymous said...

NO-ONE can, or has the legal right, to sign away other peoples legal rights. If a patient has capacity, they would sign a consent form, if well enough. BUT expecting family members to abdicate the patient's and family's right to redress in cases of any sort of negligence is illegal. DO NOT SIGN waivers offerring medical staff immunity. If they then refuse to treat the patient then pursue the matter both in the courts and with the medical or nursing boards. Seek prison sentences. Submit the evidence with the staff's name(s) to foreign lisense boards to prevent any of them working abroad. Especially in the USA and Europe UK etc. In the UK it is the General Medical Council for doctors, and the Nursing and Midwifery Council for nurses. That is easily done as there are laws against incompetent doctors and nurses there with lenghty prison sentences for serious malpractice. Addresses of these boards are available on the net. Don't worry about this, as no philippine court has any jurisdiction outside the philippines. Pursue the staff for them to be struck off any medical or nursing register in the philippines and note this with your submission to the foreign license boards. Submit to the NBI. Remember the Hippocratic Oath taken by doctors.

Unknown said...

hiring a medical negligence lawyer would be the first thing to do! they can give you a full assistance on what to do and what you can claim - one would be a medical negligence claim

Unknown said...

I can feel all your disappointment, pain, anger ,grief especially to those immediate relative who lost their loveone from any form of wrongful medical treatment by incompetent Drs who failed to delivered and perform the medically acceptable standard of care, it is time for break the code of silence and spirit of brotherhood/fraternity among Lawyers and Doctors who fighting hard to reject the medical malpractrice act of the phil, we are all guided by moral principle that what is morally right is right and wrong is wrong,victim of malpractice may never get the justice on earth from your incomptent wrongful treatment but in the end you are answerable liable to god, its time for congress to pass law to sommone any med Dr to shed a light of what is suppose to be the standard of care in any malpractice case, this is the primary reason why most malpractice cases in Phil was unsuccesful to get justice in the end from Dr malpractice/negligence case. victim may get justice if your able to prove the doctrine of res ipsa loquitor yet the law and medicine will find any possible means to discredit the doctrine. getting a malparcatice lawyer is expensive, acceptance fee is 100k, you should able to maintain revolving fund of 10k for doc reproduction and transpo allowance, you need to immediate replenish the 100k once its start depleting, a case may last 3-5 years in RTC. lawyer charges by manhour, assoc lawyer is P1500 per hr, partner is K3000 per hour. on top of depression and grieving for your lost love one. i myself is dealing the situation right now , im a living witness to the most idiotic, incompetent DR who cause a death in the family.