Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital announces a patient walk-away incident
****************************************************************************
The spokesman for Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital (AHNH) made the following announcement today (April 27) regarding a patient walk-away incident:
A male patient with chronic illness was brought to the Accident and Emergency Department (A&E) at around 5am on April 24. The patient, accompanied by relatives, presented with fever, vomiting and fall injury. After examination, the patient was diagnosed with head injury and was arranged to have brain computed tomography and X-ray examination.
The patient was put at the patient waiting area awaiting for admission to medical ward after the examinations at around 6am. At around 6.45am, clinical staff had observed and arranged medication for the patient. The patient's condition was stable, while his relatives had left the A&E earlier.
A&E staff discovered that the patient left the hospital without notifying the staff at around 7.15am. Security guards subsequently performed a full-scale search within the hospital compound, notified patient's relative and reported to the Police for assistance. The Police was informed that the patient was located in a shopping mall at Tai Po and the patient was sent back to the A&E by ambulance. According to record, the patient's condition was serious with resuscitation performed onboard the ambulance.
The patient arrived the A&E at 8.25am. The staff immediately performed resuscitation for the patient, and then admitted him to the medical ward for further management after resuming heartbeat and blood pressure. But the patient's condition deteriorated and succumbed at around 2.36am on the following day.
The hospital expressed its deepest condolences and explained the sequence of events to the relatives. The hospital will continue to closely communicate with the relatives to provide necessary assistance. The incident has been reported to the Hospital Authority Head Office through the Advance Incident Reporting System and referred to the Coroner for follow up.
Ends/Tuesday, April 27, 2021
Issued at HKT 20:24
Issued at HKT 20:24
NNNN