Call for Hong Kong hospitals to put monitoring devices on patients after woman, 58, found dead in toilet
- Patient visited A&E department at around 11pm on Sunday night and was assessed to be in stable condition at 11.15am next day
- Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital says it is ‘very concerned’ about case and has referred it to coroner, while Hospital Authority notes toilets outfitted with alarm
Patient advocacy groups in Hong Kong on Tuesday urged hospitals to put monitoring devices on elderly patients and those with chronic illness after a 58-year-old woman was found dead in the toilet of a public healthcare facility after waiting for more than 12 hours for emergency treatment.
Revealing the incident on Monday night, Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital said it was “very concerned” about the case, which had been reported to the Hospital Authority Head Office for the coroner to handle.
“The hospital met the patient’s family members on Monday to explain the details of the incident and expressed condolences to family members. The hospital will offer the necessary help to family members,” a spokesman said.
The chronically ill patient visited the accident and emergency department of the hospital due to a fever and cough at around 11pm on Sunday, according to the Hospital Authority. Medical assessment was only conducted for her at 11.15am the next day. She was found to be in stable condition, with further examination arranged.
Medical staff attempted to locate her twice at about 12.30pm and 1.45pm on Monday as they prepared to transfer her from the waiting area for further checks, but she was uncontactable.
She was found unconscious inside an accessible toilet for the A&E waiting hall at 4.30pm and certified dead at 5.06pm, following resuscitation efforts.
The authority did not say why it had taken so long to find the patient in the toilet, but said hospital staff inspected and cleaned the facilities seven times a day.