Hospital that spurned dying woman to pay

Licence at risk over acid-attack patient

Praram 2 Hospital in Bangkok will face multiple legal suits after it rejected a woman who was attacked with acid and died shortly after she was refused treatment there, the Health Service Support Department said yesterday.

Director-general Nathawut Prasertsiripong said the management of the private hospital failed to have a doctor on duty around-the-clock to provide an emergency service. Other staff were left in charge who were not up to the task, he said.

The offence carries a maximum prison term of two years and/or a fine of up to 40,000 baht.

Dr Nathawut said the hospital management also failed to make out a report on the injured woman, issue a letter referring the patient to another hospital, or provide the patient with appropriate transport.

That makes it liable for a maximum prison term of one year and/or a fine of 20,000 baht.

The hospital management also failed to act in a professional manner by refusing to treat a patient whose life was clearly in danger. That can yield a prison sentence of up to two years, a fine of up to 40,000 baht, or both, according to the law that governs hospitals.

If the management fails to correct these issues within 15 days it will risk losing its licence, Dr Nathawut said.

The department was responding to a complaint brought by legal rights activist Atchariya Ruengratanapong and the family of Chorlada Tarawan, 38, who had acid poured over her face and into her mouth by her jealous new husband in Bangkok on Nov 10.

Chorlada, a 38-year-old employee at a shopping mall in Bangkok’s Bang Khae district, was allegedly attacked by Kamtan Singhanat, 50, at their rented room in Bang Khunthian district.

Mr Kamtan, a taxi driver, fled after the attack and was caught at a friend’s house in Nakhon Sawan’s Banphot district on Nov 11.

Her 12-year-old daughter rushed her by taxi to Praram 2 Hospital, where Mr Atchariya claims there was no doctor on duty when Ms Chorlada needed emergency treatment.

A nurse gave them 40 baht to catch a taxi to another hospital where the patient was covered by the government’s health insurance scheme. She died in severe pain shortly after arriving there.

Dr Nathawut said the probe was carried out by the department’s complaints sub-committee comprising experts from organisations in the government and private sectors, including the Office of the Consumer Protection Board, Office of the Attorney-General and the Private Hospitals Association.

The decision was based on medical documents, security camera footage and the testimony of hospital staff.

The department also found that Praram 2 Hospital had illegally converted its parking lot into an outpatients unit. The department has ordered the unit to be closed, according to Dr Nathawut.

On Monday, Praram 2 Hospital expressed concern over the woman’s death, saying it had tainted its reputation.

Dr Peera Kananuwat, an adviser to the hospital, testified for 30 minutes on Monday in response to the complaint.

He said later he had presented some documents to the investigation team, adding he had been told the department would send specialists to inspect the hospital before concluding its inquiry.

Dr Peera said on Monday the hospital would not sue the agency if the probe decided the hospital was at fault.