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Written by: Li Enci
2020-11-08 00:00
Last update date: 2020-11-08 00:00
Since the new crown pneumonia struck Hong Kong, some hospitalized patients have been unable to contact their families in person for nearly a year.
The 81-year-old Mrs. Wang turned into a vegetative body due to a brainstem hemorrhage. Her children used to visit Notre Dame Hospital every day. Her son, Mr. Wang, thinks "I will be happy to see my mother." Now he cannot meet his mother. He looks through the autumn water. Feeling sad, "It's really good to hang on to my mother. My family has no way of observing my mother." Family members write to the hospital every two weeks and ask for Mrs. Wang's medical records, but every medical record received is delayed. Two months.
If Mrs. Wang has an abnormal condition, her family will not be able to follow up immediately.
Peng Hongchang, secretary of the Association of Community Organizations, said that taking advantage of the winter flu and the fourth wave of the epidemic, it is time for the hospital to arrange more discretionary visits so that seriously ill, unconscious, and long-term hospitalized patients have the opportunity to meet with their families.
Mrs. Wang had a brainstem hemorrhage after undergoing gastroscopy at Notre Dame Hospital in 2014. The family filed a claim in court in December 2016. The case is still under consideration.
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Extended reading: Notre Dame Hospital refuses to upload vegetative medical records to Yijiantong, causing family members to be dissatisfied with the Food and Health Bureau without complaints
Mrs. Wang had a brainstem hemorrhage after undergoing gastroscopy at Notre Dame Hospital in early 2014 and has since become a vegetative.
After that, Miss Wang and Mr. Wang visited their mother every day at the Notre Dame Hospital.
They will do stretching exercises for Mrs. Wang to prevent her limbs from shrinking.
Mr. Wang said, "Even if it's good to leave work, I will be so happy to see my mother."
Family members visited and found mother's body abnormal
When family members visited the patient, they occasionally found that the mother's body was abnormal and questioned the poor care of the medical staff.
In 2015, Mr. Wang saw an abnormal discharge in her eyes and immediately notified the hospital, "But the doctor went away, and the nurse said nothing." It was later discovered that she was infected with drug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
Mr. Wang continued that when he visited the patient at noon in 2016, the hospital said that Mrs. Wang was not breathing, but the data on the ventilator was normal. At that time, he "the doctor buried him and watched, but the doctor left and asked for something." Let go of work.” From 2017 to 2018, Mrs. Wang's platelet level was too low and she might need to receive blood transfusions, but the hospital delayed the treatment until her platelets naturally recovered.
These experiences made Mr. Wang lose confidence and remind him not to neglect to visit the sick.
Notre Dame Hospital did not reply whether the above situation is true.
In the past, Mr. Wang and his sister, Ms. Wang, visited their mother in Notre Dame Hospital every day.
(Photo by Luo Junhao)
Son: The only way to observe mother is not buried
It is a pity that the new crown pneumonia epidemic hit Hong Kong at the end of January this year, and public hospitals stopped visiting. It has been nearly 10 months.
Mr. Wang felt sad and sighed: "It's so good to hang on to my mother. Yijia doesn't even have the only way to observe my mother." He believes that the main authority to check the mother's situation lies in the hospital. It doesn't come." He would call the hospital from time to time, but said that hospital staff often refused to answer questions because of their busyness.
He described the staff who answered the call as a "human flesh tape recorder," who was unheard of issues such as life support index, saying only that "we will take care of your mother."
Each family member's application for the mother's medical record is delayed by two months
On days when it is not possible to visit the sick, Mr. Wang and Ms. Wang write to the hospital every two weeks to inquire about the mother’s condition and obtain her medical records, hoping to obtain vital indicators such as heartbeat, blood pressure, and blood sugar.
However, each time it takes time from application to mailing, the medical records obtained are delayed by about two months. The last medical record they obtained was written in early September this year.
Mr. Wang believes that obtaining medical records from two months ago is "meaningless". If Mrs. Wang has an abnormal condition, her family cannot follow up immediately.
Qu said for example that the medical records at the end of June this year showed that Mrs. Wang had unidentified bruises on her legs, but the hospital didn't mention a word in its reply in August, and he could not pursue it after the incident.
What Mr. Wang worries most is that he will never be able to see his mother with his own eyes.
(Photo by Luo Junhao)
I'm most worried about not seeing my mother again
Every time Mr. Wang writes to the hospital, he will also request compassionate visits, but the Hospital Authority does not comment on its reply.
Mr. Wang said that some experts, based on Hong Kong's statistical data and medical reports, have made life expectancy assessments for Mrs. Wang and estimated that she might pass away in March next year.
Now that "the end is approaching," the mother's hospital bed is within easy reach. What Mr. Wang is most worried about is that he will never be able to see his mother in person.
The Hospital Authority responded that if the patient has clinical reasons, it will make individual compassionate arrangements.
During the epidemic, Mrs. Wang's clinical situation did not change significantly. If medical staff find that her condition has deteriorated significantly, they will actively contact her family to consider arranging visits.
Peng Hongchang believes that it is time for the hospital to open more discretionary visits. In the first stage, patients who are seriously ill, unconscious, and hospitalized for more than three months have the opportunity to meet with their families.
(Photo by Li Enci)
Peng Hongchang: It is time to open more discretionary visits before the fourth wave of the epidemic
Starting last Wednesday (4th), the Hospital Authority re-implemented the special visit arrangements for 8 nursing homes. The staff of the ward will contact the patient’s family for appointment registration, but the arrangement does not include Notre Dame Hospital.
Peng Hongchang, secretary of the Association of Community Organizations, said that hospitals need to ban visits again when they are worried about the winter flu or the fourth wave of epidemics.
He believes that it is time for the hospital to open more discretionary visits. In the first stage, patients who are seriously ill, unconscious, and hospitalized for more than three months have the opportunity to meet with their families.
He hoped that the authorities' approach would be more humane and take care of the psychological needs of patients and their families.
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Notre Dame Hospital Hospital Authority