Rejected Patient Died: Call for Review

The chairman of the supervisory board of the Upper Austrian Health Holding (OÖG), Franz Mittendorfer, wants to address the issue and refine the cross-provider emergency management. Health Minister Korinna Schumann (SPÖ) is also considering this direction.

Chest Pain

The patient came to the hospital in Rohrbach on October 14 due to chest pain. An aortic tear was diagnosed there, and the woman should have been taken to a specialized clinic. Neither the Linz Kepler University Hospital (KUK) nor the Wels-Grieskirchen Clinic, the St. Pölten University Hospital, and the Passau Hospital could take her. It was only at the Salzburg State Clinics that they agreed to take her - by then, however, the woman was no longer transportable. She died at the age of 55.

The case, which became known on Sunday via "Kronen Zeitung," prompted numerous political reactions. The responsible Deputy Governor Christine Haberlander (ÖVP) announced that she had instructed the OÖG - the operator of Rohrbach Hospital, KUK, and Wels-Grieskirchen Clinic - to clarify the events and emphasized the importance of a comprehensive analysis of the processes. The supervisory board of the OÖG also wants answers from the management. Health Minister Schumann also insisted on a complete clarification. She will consult next week in a joint meeting with all regional health councilors on "how we can improve regional and supra-regional supply management and strengthen crisis mechanisms."

The supervisory board will convene for a special meeting, but first, a detailed statement from the management and an analysis are needed, "how could this happen?" said supervisory board chairman Mittendorfer. Peter Binder (SPÖ), third president of the state parliament and supervisory board member, is "irritated" that this analysis is not already available, as the case occurred two weeks ago. "When such tragic cases happen, it should be addressed immediately and not only when it appears in the newspaper." Mittendorfer and Binder are focusing on refining cross-provider emergency management. This means, for example, that the Wels-Grieskirchen Clinic had no intensive care bed available, while at KUK, the operating team was "already tied up for several hours with another medical emergency," according to the hospital. Here, one could "go beyond their limits" and collaborate better, Mittendorfer implied, while Binder wonders why this did not happen, given that both departments have the same management.

The announcement made by KUK a few days ago to reduce scheduled operations to ensure emergency care is not a consequence of the incident, Mittendorfer and KUK emphasized, while Binder can very well imagine it. Of about 2,000 operations per month, around 150 procedures are initially to be canceled because there are not enough anesthetists and operating room nursing staff available. Only scheduled operations, where a postponement is medically justifiable, would be postponed. The goal is to "use the available personnel resources responsibly and at the same time maintain the security of care for all patients," according to a KUK release last week - a few days before the case became known in the media.

"If a hospital's emergency team is already engaged with an emergency, it would generally be irresponsible to take over the patient without the possibility of immediate surgical intervention. Therefore, in these cases, it may happen that patients cannot be accepted," it was stated on Monday in response to an APA inquiry from the KUK. In addition to the KUK and the Wels-Grieskirchen Clinic, the Rohrbach Hospital had also inquired at other hospitals. The University Hospital St. Pölten stated that the team on duty was currently dealing with an emergency at that time. The Passau Clinic also pointed out that the cardiac surgery was already occupied with a very complex procedure and could not take over the patient. The Brothers of Mercy in Linz were also asked, but they reported that they did not have cardiac surgery, only vascular surgery. However, the Salzburg State Clinics emphasized that they would have taken over the patient. "We agreed," said spokesman Stefan Tschandl to the APA, but then they received information from Rohrbach that the woman was no longer transportable.

KUK outlined the course

The symptoms began at 5:00 PM, the KUK outlined the course on Monday. At 7:00 PM, the patient arrived at the Rohrbach Clinic "able to walk and with stable circulation, but with massive complaints." After a CT scan at 9:10 PM, it was clear that it was a "highly acute, life-threatening condition." At 9:15 PM, the first hospital was inquired, and at 10:09 PM, according to documentation, the patient became unstable and thus no longer transportable.

"Tragedy shows that our healthcare system is structurally overwhelmed"

NEOS state spokesperson Felix Eypeltauer called for an "honest reform" in the healthcare system following the case, which goes beyond the financial aspect. "This tragedy shows that our healthcare system is structurally overwhelmed." The health spokesperson for the Upper Austrian Greens, Ulrike Schwarz, also demanded "ruthless clarification." Above all, a strategy is needed to address the infrastructural and personnel problems in hospitals and to further develop cross-border emergency management. The MFG urged "prudence and respect." What is crucial now is a "factual and complete review of the events," said state parliament member Dagmar Häusler.

(APA/Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.