Doctors should report surgery injuries to protect patients, coroner says
Recommendation is to protect patients from infection through blood contact, coroner says in judgment on HIV-positive doctor's death
The Hospital Authority should make it compulsory for doctors to report any injuries they suffer during surgery, to protect patients from infection through blood contact, the Coroner's Court has urged.
The recommendation came as Coroner Philip Wong Wai-kuen found yesterday that HIV-infected Dr Wong Ho-hing died by suicide in January last year.
Although the surgeon at the Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital in Chai Wan carried out operations till the day before his death, none of his patients were found to be infected by the virus, the court heard.
Dominic Tsang Ngai-chong, the authority's chief infection control officer, testified earlier that medical staff were encouraged to report any possible risk of infection during procedures. There was no punishment if they did not come forward.
The coroner said this was inadequate. "The present system is voluntary … It is not enough in protecting patients' interests," Wong said. "It should be compulsory that they report it."
Tsang said that the advice was reasonable, depending on how the rule was enforced.
An authority spokesman said it would look into the issue. Staff were often reminded to report to their superiors injuries sustained in surgery, he said.