The Health News – 24 October 2016

Overview:
•  The head of Victorian Council of Social Service, Emma King, said playing community sport had physical and mental health benefits, as well social benefits for children.

• A West Australian doctor has been fined and ordered to undergo re-education programs over the death of a 66-year-old patient who was over-prescribed a medication for rheumatoid arthritis.

•  An inquest has been told a 69-year-old woman died just hours after being discharged from Fremantle Hospital where she had undergone what was described as “uneventful and straightforward” surgery. Christine Stroner died at her home in April 2013, about five hours after she had been released from hospital, the day after undergoing surgery to repair a hernia and to remove her gall bladder.

News on Health Professional Radio. Today is the  24th of October 2016. Read by Rebecca Foster. Health News

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-10-22/push-to-subsidised-childrens-sport-in-victoria/7957170

Costs should not be a barrier to children participating in sport, welfare advocates say, as they call for the Victorian Government to introduce subsidies to help kids take part.

The head of Victorian Council of Social Service, Emma King, said playing community sport had physical and mental health benefits, as well social benefits for children.

Speaking at an open day for kids at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre (MSAC), Ms King said all children should have access to sporting activities.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-10-22/wa-doctor-fined-over-death-of-patient/7956942

A West Australian doctor has been fined and ordered to undergo re-education programs over the death of a 66-year-old patient who was over-prescribed a medication for rheumatoid arthritis.

Daniel Lahengking, from Indonesia, was visiting family in Esperance in April 2009 when he saw general practitioner Dian Harun complaining of stiffness and soreness in his joints.

Dr Harun prescribed him the drug methotrexate, but gave him handwritten instructions to take amounts of the drug that were far in excess of the recommended dosage.

Over the next few days, Mr Lahengking became increasingly unwell, including vomiting and stomach pains, and returned to see Dr Harun, who diagnosed him with a urinary tract infection and requested that he undergo a blood test.

Three days later, Mr Lahengking was taken to Esperance hospital where he was diagnosed with methotrexate poisoning.

He was later transferred to Royal Perth Hospital but died as a result of multiple organ failure.

The tribunal imposed a fine of $5,000 and ordered she undertake an education program dealing with the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis, medication safety and administration, and adequate note taking.

There was an inquest in 2014 into Mr Lahengking’s death, with coroner Barry King saying “there was no doubt [the patient] was let down by the health care he received in Western Australia”.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-10-21/inquest-death-of-christine-stroner-after-release-from-hospital/7955730

An inquest has been told a 69-year-old woman died just hours after being discharged from Fremantle Hospital where she had undergone what was described as “uneventful and straightforward” surgery.

Christine Stroner died at her home in April 2013, about five hours after she had been released from hospital, the day after undergoing surgery to repair a hernia and to remove her gall bladder.

The inquest heard Ms Stroner had long-standing reflux disease as well as a number of underlying medical conditions including high cholesterol, chronic pain and type 2 diabetes.

Counsel assisting the coroner, Toby Bishop said about two hours before she was discharged, a nurse had noted an increase in Ms Stroner’s pulse rate and suggested a doctor review her, but it was not clear whether that had occurred.

… after she arrived home, her husband noted she did not seem well and he rang the hospital to query whether she should have been discharged.

Mr Bishop said he was given instructions to check his wife’s sugar levels and was told she had been given pain killers.

Ms Stroner then fell asleep on the couch, and when her husband noticed she had stopped breathing he was unable to rouse her.

Mr Bishop said a post-mortem examination had been unable to determine the cause of Ms Stroner’s death, although the forensic pathologist found there were three potential reasons, including post-operative infection and multiple drug toxicity.

… Professor Mo Ballal, who conducted the surgery, described the procedure as being a “straightforward operation”.