Doctors .... the issue

[Park88]

are we patients'getting tight a s s or

are doctors getting dangerous

 

who is this Dr. Chan Mui Yoke

anyone got a picture of her

and expert bro with CSI skills

 

understand this is a PRC family

 

 

 

 

 

Leukaemia boy's death: KKH settles suit

 

2 June 2011

Straits Times

THE parents of a 14-year-old leukaemia victim and the KK Women's & Children's Hospital (KKH) have settled an alleged-negligence suit out of court.

 

The terms of the settlement are confidential, but the parents of the late Cao Yuanchi had sought $1.8 million in damages in the statement of claims supporting their suit; this included the loss of whatever money their son, a Raffles Institution scholarship student, would have have given them from his eventual earnings to support them in their old age.

 

The defendants, the hospital and Dr Chan Mui Yoke, had asked the High Court last month to assess the compensation payable to the boys' parents, on condition that the hospital and the doctor are not found liable for Yuanchi's death.

 

But the parents, Mr Cao Shengfa and Madam Ma Wenying, objected to the application, describing it as a 'complete farce' in court documents filed.

 

Assistant Registrar Ang Ching Pin then threw out the application, which sent the two parties into private negotiations.

 

Lawyers said there have been medical negligence cases in which the medical defendants were allowed to settle for damages to be assessed without admission of liability on their part - but it was possible because the suing party consented to it.

 

Dr Chan had sought to appeal against the Assistant Registrar's decision, but withdrew the move last week after both parties resolved the matter.

 

Yuanchi died five days after being admitted into KKH in January 2009 with bruises on his right leg, rashes and fever. The diagnosis, that he had a rare form of blood cancer known as acute promyeloctic leukaemia (APL), came two days later. A course of chemotherapy and a treatment using all-trans retinoic acid (Atra) were lined up for him.

 

But the treatment, discussed with his parents on Jan 15 along with the diagnosis, could not start immediately, as the boy was also battling a bacterial infection and the treatment for his leukaemia had to be pushed back. Yuanchi's parents were told he faced a high risk of bleeding because of the APL.

 

The boy never got started on chemotherapy on Jan 19 as scheduled. He died the day before from massive bleeding in the brain caused by the leukaemia.

 

His parents claimed they were not informed of the risks tied to withholding treatment for APL for the four days while their son was treated for the bacterial infection. The hospital said through its lawyer Kuah Boon Theng that Dr Chan had taken into account the risk factors associated with the treatment when setting up the treatment plan.

 

Lawyer Lee Mong Jen, representing Yuanchi's parents, declined comment.

 

A hospital spokesman also declined comment on the grounds that 'the matter has been settled with a view to the suit being discontinued in due course'.

Edited June 3, 2011 by Park88

[Maxus-MIFA9]

Well.............. foreign power, we Singaporean LL .....

Edited June 3, 2011 by Picnic06

[Windwaver]

Frankly, our below consultant level govt doctors really no standard. Even google can be a better doctor

[Latka]

U'stand that when death occurs in hospital, there will be a police investigation. Looks like this one, as in all cases, just do paper work only. Wat a waste of manpower and money.

[KARTer]

U'stand that when death occurs in hospital, there will be a police investigation. Looks like this one, as in all cases, just do paper work only. Wat a waste of manpower and money.

legally certain civil cases may be settled out of court, but cases such as this one which can be viewed as a reflection of the standard of medical practice where life is at stake, can it be allowed to settled privately? should the state take action against the culprit? i am not sure, any bro knows better?

[Gearoil]

Where is the SMC or SMA when it's their duty to look into it?

 

Or is it that they'll 'look into it' only when someone like High Commission 'cow peh cow bu' only?

[Maroon5]

anyw docs dun even let u take a flu jab when u r ill and have infection of some form in the body, let alone undergo chemo treatment. suing someone seems like farting nowadays.

[Park88]

do you guys think it is right to charge $24 million for treatment

 

if i need that expensive treatment i have to die a millions time over

[Acemundo]

do you guys think it is right to charge $24 million for treatment

 

if i need that expensive treatment i have to die a millions time over

recently i consulted a pediatrician for my baby. $53 for 5 minute chat which he mentioned no need medication.

 

ok putting aside the costliness, the reasons he gave was also wrong. there is a growth on my boy's tongue which i told him affected my boy's appetite for milk.

 

he say no, that's not the reason. bcos it is not red in color, it doesn't bother him and his decrease appetite had to do with him growing older. i wasn't convinced but gave him benefit of the doubt. but even events after supports my view and debunks his. as the growth on his tongue subside, his appetite for milk return and in fact became more voracious, at the same time as he grows older.

 

there is a lot of high charges in the professional industry for work or advice that are not even correct.

Edited June 3, 2011 by Acemundo

[Timex1441]

while there r certainly lapses in the medical service, i think in this case the doctor didn't do anything wrong if we go by the facts reported.

bacterial infection, so need to put on hold the chemotherapy, sounds reasonable....anyway, the boy's cancer was diagnosed very late, so if he didn't die of the massive hemorrage, how can any doctor guarantee tat starting chemotherapy earlier will save his life...it doesn't seem to be tat there was negligence or outright error here....

too bad, i suspect the hospital wanted to do damage control to its reputation n probably forced the doctor to agree to a settlement, even if he/she isn't willing.

[Lala81]

The boy was already quite ill even when he reached KKWCH.

If they had underwent chemo then, and he died from infection later on also sue KKWCH for causing his death?

 

If this had gone to court, i think it wld be a slam dunk win for the defence. Unless they can prove negligence.

 

 

[Lala81]

U'stand that when death occurs in hospital, there will be a police investigation. Looks like this one, as in all cases, just do paper work only. Wat a waste of manpower and money.

 

This case is probably not a Coroner's case.

[Lala81]

Frankly, our below consultant level govt doctors really no standard. Even google can be a better doctor

 

Lol, where do u get your consultant level doctor from?

10-15 yrs ago, they also fresh out from med school and just as noob as anyone else.

 

Information is everywhere, what everyone needs is training to interpret this info.

Edited June 3, 2011 by Lala81

[Acieed]

Actually Singaporean not LL, you have a choice to do something. Get out of this LL mentality!! [laugh]

 

Well.............. foreign power, we Singaporean LL .....

 

[Tonyng]

 

Compared to the amount we have as a country, we spend 2-3% of GDP on healthcare last few decades. HK 4-5%.

 

We pay public health sector workers much lesser, hence people leaving to private sector. Not to mention, building hospitals too late.

 

Something's got to give.

[Latka]

This case is probably not a Coroner's case.

 

Erm, not to contradict you. Think this is SOP. My relative passed away in hospital last year. After the hospital informed the family, they went down to the hospital. There, they met a so called investigator fm SPF conducting a so called investigation to rull out foul play or something.

[Windwaver]

there is a lot of high charges in the professional industry for work or advice that are not even correct.

 

That's very true. Even worse sometimes you get wrongly diagnosed and referred to the wrong doctor and in turn spend more for nothing. I have a doctor that was chatting on his iphone for a good full 5 mins when I'm seeing him

[Acemundo]

That's very true. Even worse sometimes you get wrongly diagnosed and referred to the wrong doctor and in turn spend more for nothing. I have a doctor that was chatting on his iphone for a good full 5 mins when I'm seeing him

my mother had a sprained shoulder. the NUH doc gave her strong antibiotics that we do not realize it is. until she run into gastric problem the next doctor also cannot fathom while strong antibiotics is required for sprain shoulder. actualy the strong antibiotics kicked off a host of other problems thereafter. if we were to be mean people we would have sued the hospital and doctor for that. the subsequent medical cost to treat this series of problems runs into another few thousands possibly close to 10k. creating one problem to bring in more revenue for the industry?

 

and my mum case is not an isolated example of botch up diagnosis. my friend also complain about the cataract operation done to his mother. and few days ago newspaper reported dentist fined for wrong tooth extraction?

 

even my root canal treatment, left me with permanent pain that come on and off on the left side of my ears which when i asked that dentist, he denied it flatly, saying it is just my problem with my ear and recommend i go see a Ear Nose Throat specialist!

Edited June 3, 2011 by Acemundo