Shortages of basic materials, delays in the response of health professionals, inadequate care, injuries during hospitalization, overcharges, but also incidents of possible medical negligence, were recorded last month by the Patient Rights Observatory of the Cyprus Federation of Patients' Associations.
Among other things, a patient complained that they tried to administer insulin to him, while he is not diabetic, relatives complain that a patient returned home full of bruises, while a father complained that he was over-indebted by a private sector hospital.
The complaints concerned both hospitals of the State Health Services Organization and private sector hospitals that offer services either inside or outside the General Health System.
A patient's reports to the Observatory of events that, as he claims, he experienced during his hospitalization, are of concern. Among other things, he referred to an incident of bleeding from another patient without an immediate response from the hospital staff, while he spoke of the use of a consumable that had previously been used on another patient, as well as an attempt to administer insulin to him without him needing it.
The patient also referred to a lack of basic materials for the care of the surgical wound and delays in changing soiled sheets. He also made special reference to the discharge process, during which, as he complains, a venous catheter was removed without adequate hygiene measures, while both he and his wife faced, according to their claim, degrading and aggressive behaviour.
Injury of a patient during her movement in a ward
A second complaint concerned an elderly patient, who was hospitalized after a sudden illness. According to a relative who contacted the Patient Observatory, during her transfer by nurses, she suffered a shoulder dislocation. After the discharge, as he claimed, bruises were also found on the ribs and other parts of the body.
As he mentioned, there is a possibility that the injuries were caused by a fall within the hospital, but the patient herself cannot give a clear description of the events due to her health condition.
The family asked OSAK for information on the procedures it must follow in order to submit its complaint officially and in writing, with the aim of investigating the circumstances under which the injuries were caused.
Delay and overcharges
Significant inconvenience of a minor child during a scheduled surgery and simultaneous over-indebtedness by the hospital that served him, a father complained.
As he stated, "due to poor planning", the child remained hungry and waiting for a long time, which caused a strong psychological burden.
At the same time, the father stated that excessive and unjustified charges were imposed on him without prior written information or cost analysis. According to the complaint, medical services were invoiced separately per act, which, as the father claimed, significantly increased the total amount. The father asked for an evaluation of both the planning procedures and the charging policy of the specific hospital.
In another complaint, a patient reported an incident that occurred in an Accident and Emergency Department during the investigation of abdominal pain.
As he claimed, after administering antibiotic treatment and performing a CT scan with contrast, intravenous serum was placed, which, according to him, was later removed due to discomfort.
As he said, after the disconnection, the valve of the venous catheter remained open, resulting in significant blood loss and temporary loss of consciousness until he was located by the staff.
After leaving the hospital, he developed an allergic reaction and received relevant medication.
Suspicions of delay in treatment in a death incident
Two complaints related to possible medical negligence were recorded by the Patient Observatory in March, without of course being able to investigate them, as these are cases that fall under the competence of the Police.
In the first case, a woman addressed the Observatory expressing the belief that her sister's death may be linked to deficiencies in the care provided. As he mentioned, the deceased had a history of cancer and was admitted to the hospital after a fall, where she underwent the removal of a silicone implant.
According to the complaint, during her hospitalization she presented symptoms that, possibly, referred to thrombosis, without, as she claimed, there being timely treatment. In addition, he spoke of the delayed presence of doctors. The death certificate mentions thrombosis and cardiac arrest as the cause. The family asks for an investigation into the conditions of hospitalization and the medical handling that preceded it.
In the second case, the complaint was submitted by a relative of a patient who claimed that there may have been a misdiagnosis or insufficient investigation of possible causes of the deterioration of his state of health. At the same time, reference was made to inadequate care during hospitalization, but also to hygiene issues, the appearance of bedsores and limited information to the family. The family asked for a full investigation of the hospitalization conditions, the medical decisions and the procedure followed for the diagnosis.
