Malpractice and Medical Litigation
CHUMSAK PRUKSAPONG, M.D.*, HENRY WILDE, M.D.***, SUKHIT PHAOSAVASDI, M.D.**, YUEN TANNIRANDORN, M.D.**
Affiliation : * Department of Surgery, Police Hospital, Bangkok 10330, ** Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkhon University, Bangkok 10330, *** Queen Savapha, Thai Red Cross Society, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
In 1995 a millioniare grand multipara in
her eighth pregnancy came from the province to
Bangkok to attend the antenatal clinic at one of the
best hospitals in town. She wished her labor to
be painless. In the labor room, she was given a con-
tinuous epidural block and had her amniotic sac
ruptured artificially. She still felt pain from her
labor. The anesthesiologist ordered the attending
nurse to give another dose of anesthetic drug
through the epidural catheter which is not custo-
mery. He left the room at the same time. Fifteen
minutes later, the pregnant patient had difficulty
with breathing and had a cardiac arrest
Several anesthesiologists and cardiolo-
gists were called to see the patient and performed
cardiopulmonary resuscitation, but in vain, she
died. It should be noted that her husband was in
the labor room with his wife at the entire time. He
was angry at the doctor who failed to be with his
wife as much as he should. He could pay all the
hospital bills but why was no doctor available for
almost 15 minutes
after the second injection of
anesthetic drug ?
The charges to the court were as follow-
ings:
1. Neglecting to see the patient and causing her
death.
2. Requesting for 600 million baht as compensa-
tion
3. Performing substandard health care.
It will be very stressfull for the doctor to
go to court as a client over this case. It will be
time consuming and the legal action will last at
least 2 years. What will happen to his family and
routine work? If he loses the case, how could he
pay 600 million baht ?
In olden days, life in Thailand was not
expensive. People got their health care from a
health station provided by the government and paid
very little from their own pocket. Transportation,
housing and social taxes were not much of a bur-
den to the doctor. The health care system was
officially run in a very-friendly manner. The doctor
was a respected man in town and dependable and
accessible to the citizens. After the sicks were
treated and became well, they gave their belongings
such as ducks, chickens and eggs to their beloved
doctor. This kind of system was good to all.
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