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How come nothing in the local press? Trying to hush hush and cover up again?
The death of a female patient that followed a successful heart surgery in October has prompted the National University Hospital's (NUH) commencement of a formal inquiry into the case.
The Straits Times (ST) reported that 74-year-old Heng Choon Noi was operated on by heart and lung surgeon Lee Chuen Neng on 11 October after which she was shifted from the intensive care unit to a general, and then a surgical ward over the week.
The paper reported her children’s complaints that her condition worsened as the weekend passed, and two doctors who were on duty had only taken a blood sample from her to check for infections.
One of the doctors involved, Dr Tay Jia Sheng, a trainee in cardiothoracic (heart and lung) surgery, later resigned from NUH on a 24-hour notice, while Dr Ng Hui Chong, who was on duty at the time, had after the incident chosen not to train in surgery, as stated in a letter from the hospital addressed to Heng’s family.
Heng’s second son, financial consultant Patrick Chan, reportedly alleged that his mother’s death was caused by “negligence and serious lapse of due diligence by the doctors at the ward”.
His older brother Tony, a real estate agent, told ST that over the weekend following Heng’s surgery, she developed a fever, her heart rate increased rapidly and she showed lower blood pressure. The family accompanied her that Sunday night, repeatedly requesting a doctor’s attention between 1am and 6am on Monday, but said no one showed up to assist them.
Dr Tay only took a sample of her blood, telling them that results would take a couple of days to process, Patrick told the paper.
The letter from NUH’s director of clinical services of the Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery department, assistant professor Ooi Oon Cheong, detailed further explanation about what had happened.
It said that Dr Tay had previously examined Heng, ascertaining that she was in a stable condition, and did not look acutely ill, while Dr Ng had made an unsuccessful attempt to draw blood from Heng, although she had checked on her on Sunday night and at 6am on Monday, also finding her to be stable, reported ST.
The letter also said that Dr Ng instructed the nurses to administer paracetamol, apply cold compresses and continue with Heng’s existing antibiotics to bring the fever she was suffering from down.
Dr Ooi also acknowledged and apologised for “shortcomings in communication”, adding, “Our doctors and nursing staff could have been more sensitive to your needs,” the broadsheet reported.
ST also reported that an autopsy done by senior forensic pathologist Teo Eng Swee found that Heng's heart valve operation was successful, reporting a correctly-positioned artificial heart valve. Pending further investigation, Dr Teo stated Heng's cause of death to be cardio-respiratory failure.
Confirming the incident and the investigation, a spokesperson from Singapore’s National University Heart Centre told Yahoo! Singapore in a statement that a full and transparent account will be provided to Heng’s family upon the completion of investigations.
“If we find any inadequacies or lapses in our processes, we will put them right. We owe this to our patients,” the spokesperson said, declining further comment on the incident while citing the ongoing probe.
The death of a female patient that followed a successful heart surgery in October has prompted the National University Hospital's (NUH) commencement of a formal inquiry into the case.
The Straits Times (ST) reported that 74-year-old Heng Choon Noi was operated on by heart and lung surgeon Lee Chuen Neng on 11 October after which she was shifted from the intensive care unit to a general, and then a surgical ward over the week.
The paper reported her children’s complaints that her condition worsened as the weekend passed, and two doctors who were on duty had only taken a blood sample from her to check for infections.
One of the doctors involved, Dr Tay Jia Sheng, a trainee in cardiothoracic (heart and lung) surgery, later resigned from NUH on a 24-hour notice, while Dr Ng Hui Chong, who was on duty at the time, had after the incident chosen not to train in surgery, as stated in a letter from the hospital addressed to Heng’s family.
Heng’s second son, financial consultant Patrick Chan, reportedly alleged that his mother’s death was caused by “negligence and serious lapse of due diligence by the doctors at the ward”.
His older brother Tony, a real estate agent, told ST that over the weekend following Heng’s surgery, she developed a fever, her heart rate increased rapidly and she showed lower blood pressure. The family accompanied her that Sunday night, repeatedly requesting a doctor’s attention between 1am and 6am on Monday, but said no one showed up to assist them.
Dr Tay only took a sample of her blood, telling them that results would take a couple of days to process, Patrick told the paper.
The letter from NUH’s director of clinical services of the Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery department, assistant professor Ooi Oon Cheong, detailed further explanation about what had happened.
It said that Dr Tay had previously examined Heng, ascertaining that she was in a stable condition, and did not look acutely ill, while Dr Ng had made an unsuccessful attempt to draw blood from Heng, although she had checked on her on Sunday night and at 6am on Monday, also finding her to be stable, reported ST.
The letter also said that Dr Ng instructed the nurses to administer paracetamol, apply cold compresses and continue with Heng’s existing antibiotics to bring the fever she was suffering from down.
Dr Ooi also acknowledged and apologised for “shortcomings in communication”, adding, “Our doctors and nursing staff could have been more sensitive to your needs,” the broadsheet reported.
ST also reported that an autopsy done by senior forensic pathologist Teo Eng Swee found that Heng's heart valve operation was successful, reporting a correctly-positioned artificial heart valve. Pending further investigation, Dr Teo stated Heng's cause of death to be cardio-respiratory failure.
Confirming the incident and the investigation, a spokesperson from Singapore’s National University Heart Centre told Yahoo! Singapore in a statement that a full and transparent account will be provided to Heng’s family upon the completion of investigations.
“If we find any inadequacies or lapses in our processes, we will put them right. We owe this to our patients,” the spokesperson said, declining further comment on the incident while citing the ongoing probe.
