Hong Kong’s Caritas Medical Centre has apologised for the death of an elderly patient who choked after being fed a regular meal instead of pureed food due to “communication issues.”
Representatives of Caritas Medical Centre and the Hospital Authority held a press conference on the medical blunder on Wednesday, two days after the 75-year-old male patient died.
Gladys Kwan, the hospital chief executive of Caritas Medical Centre, told reporters that the patient, who could only eat grinded food, was admitted to the hospital on February 28 because of abdominal issues. The elderly man also had high blood pressure and dementia.
According to Kwan, the patient was barred from eating and had received intravenous therapy to stay hydrated. As his condition improved, the doctor allowed him to consume liquid foods. The doctor later permitted the patient to return to his usual diet and marked “DAT” on his record.
“DAT” stands for “diet as tolerated,” Kwan said, meaning the patient can eat what they normally eat. But the nursing team misunderstood the doctor’s instructions and thought the patient could consume a regular meal.
At around noon on Monday, a nursing student was tasked with feeding the patient in small portions. The patient was able to chew and swallow at first, but then he started coughing. The nursing student stopped feeding and informed the nurses and doctors.
Medics used a suction tube to remove liquid from the patient’s mouth to avoid blockage. However, his condition deteriorated quickly, and his breathing and heart stopped.
The patient did not respond to the resuscitation and was eventually pronounced dead at 1.30pm on Monday.
The hospital chief executive said the medical team had some “communication issues” and had a different understanding of the diet instructions.
Kwan said the hospital was saddened by the patient’s death, adding they had met with his family members twice to explain the incident.
“I express sincere regret and apology for the passing of the patient and to his family for losing a loved one,” Kwan said in Cantonese.
In a statement released on Monday, Caritas Medical Centre said the case had been referred to the Coroner’s Court. A root cause analysis panel would also be set up to investigate the incident and complete a report with improvement recommendations within eight weeks.
The hospital added that it had reminded medics to improve communication and ensured they were aware of the clinical situation of the patient and treatment arrangements.
