Public hospital failed me, says heart patient
A diabetic said he was terrified after a wrong diagnosis at a public hospital that could have cost him his life.
Raghunathan Raman, 36, said doctors at United Christian Hospital gave him antacids for persistent chest pain. But when he sought a second opinion at a private hospital he was found to have clogged coronary arteries and needed a life-saving angioplasty.
Mr Raman, who is also taking medications for lipids, said he had to fly to his native India to have the heart procedure, which cost him about 300,000 rupees (HK$59,00).
He complained to United Christian last week over what he called a 'pathetic way of treatment'.
Mr Raman said he went to United Christian's accident and emergency department complaining of chest pain and sweating on December 15.
'I was sweating in 18-degree weather,' he said. 'I removed my T-shirt, I switched on the fan, I was in pain while walking, and the pain was increasing. I informed my family doctor in India, who told me the symptoms might be related to my heart,' he said.
He informed the United Christian doctors about his symptoms and asked to be given a stress test, following his Indian medic's advice.
Mr Raman said he was given an at-rest electrocardiogram, which showed 'everything is OK'.
He asked for a stress ECG or treadmill test to be sure. But the doctors at United Christian refused, saying he would have to return in March or April for the test or go to a private hospital.
When United Christian discharged him on December 18, Mr Raman said he was given two to three months' supply of antacid, costing about HK$600. When the chest pain persisted, he went to the private St Theresa's Hospital the next day. Doctors there ran a stress ECG and treadmill tests on him, after which he was advised he needed a coronary angiogram and angioplasty.
Mr Raman said he checked with his Hong Kong medical insurance and found the procedure was not covered. He then decided to go back to Chennai, India, where he underwent stent angioplasty on December 24.
Mr Raman, who is on medical leave until January 26, said he wanted to tell his story because 'no other patient should suffer like me'.
'This is ridiculous what happened in a public hospital in an international city like Hong Kong,' he said.
A spokeswoman for United Christian said yesterday that the hospital had received an e-mail from Mr Raman last Thursday. 'An interim reply was sent to the patient on [Friday],' she said.
'The case is under investigation. We will reply to the patient upon completion of the investigation.'
