Death of elderly Hong Kong patient moved between wards sparks calls for experienced staff to handle transfers
- Elderly man was transferred from ophthalmology ward to intensive care unit, where it was discovered valve on his oxygen cylinder had not been opened
- Critical care specialist questions whether it was appropriate to use staff from the ophthalmology department for the transfer
Experienced medical staff and smart devices should be used when unstable patients are being moved between wards, a doctor and a concern group have suggested following the death of an elderly man whose oxygen cylinder was found to be closed during his transfer.
The incident at Caritas Medical Centre on Tuesday involved a 79-year-old patient originally admitted to the ophthalmology ward a day earlier for a cataract operation.
Raymond Lee Wai-chuen, a specialist in critical care medicine, on Friday questioned whether it was appropriate to use medical staff from the ophthalmology department to transfer the patient as they might not have the relevant experience.
“Ophthalmology rarely has any patients who are very unstable … their doctors and nurses rarely have to transfer patients that are very unstable,” he told a radio programme. “Would it be better if more experienced colleagues were involved to handle this?”
At 3am on Tuesday, the patient began to suffer from stomach pain and was given medication, but six hours later staff found his blood pressure and oxygen saturation levels were dropping.