An internal investigation will be made by the Eversley Childs Sanitarium and Hospital in Mandaue City into alleged neglect in the handling of a female patient in the emergency room who was bleeding from a miscarriage.
Felixberto Eltanal, the hospital’s supervising administrative officer, said they will make an incident report and look into the case reported in Cebu Daily News even if no formal complaint was filed by the patient.
CDN reported the ordeal of 31-year-old Genelie Jayme, a resident of barangay Nangka, Consolacion town, who was two months pregnant when she was rushed to the hospital last week due to a miscarriage.
Family members said they believe she was not attended to promptly because they didn’t have enough money for a down payment.
They were told hours later by the doctor that she needed to get an obstetrics-gynecologist whose service would cost P15,000 because there was none in the hospital.
Frustrated, Jayme left and went to a private birthing center where she was given a D and C procedure for P8,000.
“We’ll get the doctor’s side and study the facts of the case,” Eltanal told CDN yesterday.
Eltanal said the incident could be used as propaganda against the hospital by parties angry at the new management.
He said the inquiry would be for internal use only.
The secondary government hospital under the Department of Health (DOH) is undergoing internal changes due to new managers.
The patient’s aunt, Marcelina Batac, lamented that the bleeding woman was not treated well by the attending physician, Dr. Emily Apas.
Dr. Sarah Shia, clinic chief, who is the superior of Dr. Apas, said Apas denied asking for a down payment from the woman.
She said Apas explained to Jayme’s relatives that a down payment would be needed if she calls in a specialist.
“We’re not asking for a down payment, we’re only appraising the patient on how much will be paid if she is confined and requires a specialist,” Shia said.
A miscarriages is a “critical” medical case because the patient suffers from blood discharges for days, she said.
Shia said Dr. Apas had asked the relatives to go out and buy a pregnancy test kit to confirm her condition because the hospital pharmacy had just closed.
Only dextrose and other medicines are kept in the emergency room.
Shia said the hospital had renewed Dr. Apas’ work contract due to her good performance.
“She may not have been selected by the hospital board but her performance was good enough for her contract to be renewed,” she explained.
The hospital’s chief nurse Leny Maramara said Dr. Apas was a good doctor. CDN tried to call and left messages for Apas but she was not available for interview. Staff were reluctant to give contact details or talk about the case when CDN visited. Dr. Lope Maria Carabaña, the hospital officer in charge, was out for a meeting in Cebu City. Reporter Jucell Marie P. Cuyos