Woman trader sues hospital, doctor for malpractice

Businesswoman Charimae Imperial took her husband, Jose Rody, to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Sta. Mesa, Manila, last year after he complained of severe chest pains, thinking he would get better.

“If the doctor just did his job right, my husband would still be alive today,” said Imperial, who has filed a P10-million medical malpractice lawsuit against the hospital and Dr. Joven Fule Jr. in Branch 212 of the Mandaluyong Trial Court on November 25, 2010.

“I decided to come out because throughout the mediation process, I realized the hospital would never apologize for what happened to my husband,” said Imperial.

Fule allegedly administered several tests on Jose, including the ECG (electrocardiogram) test, and allowed him to go home.

“The doctor prescribed medicines for his abdominal pains but not for his serious heart ailment,” Imperial said.

Jose Rody had a heart attack and was dead on arrival at the Mandaluyong Medical Center a day after the diagnosis.

“I asked five doctors to interpret the ECG strips. They said my husband was then obviously suffering from a heart attack,” Imperial said.

The hospital claimed Dr. Fule was not an employee but “a resident physician under training,” and had no control over him.

Dr. Fule has denied the accusation, saying he had “exercised his duty and sound medical judgement and extended the best professional care” to the patient.