For alleged negligence in his mother’s death, a man sued Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) and three of its doctors for S$800,000.
Source: Google Maps
Mr Chia Soo Kiang claimed that TTSH and its doctors had misdiagnosed and neglected his mother when she was a patient there four years ago
His mother, 74-year-old Mdm Tan Yaw Lan, collapsed from a cardiac arrest while an intern nurse was helping her take a shower.
She sustained injuries from the fall and subsequently passed away three weeks later, on 13 May 2018.
According to Channel News Asia (CNA), Mr Chia said the doctors failed to realise that his mother was having a heart attack upon arrival at the hospital.
He also accused medical staff of being negligent in taking Mdm Tan for a shower against the family’s wishes and failing to revive her immediately after she collapsed.
The doctors and nurses stopped the medication for her heart, high blood pressure and hypertension without her consent, Mr Chia added.
On these grounds, he sued TTSH and the three doctors for S$800,000.
CNA reported that Mdm Tan had a medical history that included heart failure, Type 2 diabetes, Stage 4 chronic renal disease, hypertension, and excessive cholesterol.
On 20 Apr 2018, she was conveyed to TTSH’s emergency department due to a persistent fever. Doctors determined that an unknown infection likely caused her condition.
She started showing signs of improvement by 22 Apr.
The next day, an intern nurse was helping Mdm Tan shower and was in the middle of dressing her when she went limp and passed out.
Other medical staff were alerted to the incident and attempted to resuscitate her. However, she reportedly did not regain consciousness and passed away three weeks later on 13 May.
While her family declined to have an autopsy performed, a coroner’s report showed that she died of heart disease with pneumonia.
However, Mr Chia’s lawyer Clarence Lun argued that his client’s mother died from a fatal heart attack.
In response, Justice Choo Han Teck said that the claim was unclear.
He accepted that Mdm Tan experienced a cardiac arrest while showering, and may not have had a heart attack.
Justice Choo also found that her signs of improvement indicated that there were no signs of cardiac arrest.
Regarding the allegation that the doctors changed her medication, he said there was no evidence provided to prove this.
Justice Choo noted that assisting a patient with a shower does not require special training, reports TODAY.
Mr Chia’s case was dismissed by the High Court and the issue of the costs will be heard at a later date.
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Featured image adapted from Google Maps.
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