Garcias versus Cebu hospital
Family of Gov. Gwen questions brothers’ death
The Garcia political clan of Cebu demanded “medical transparency” from Chong Hua Hospital, where brothers Marlon and Nelson Garcia died days apart early this month.
Hospital management countered it is ready for a dialogue with the family, saying “it is a sad reality that even the most determined effort to save lives often ends up futile.”
Dr. Jerald Garcia, a US-based doctor who is a nephew of the deceased, issued the call on behalf of the family.
He said the family has the right to question the medical care received by their kin, especially after they were billed P8 million by the private hospital founded in 1909.
“If you have nothing to hide, then just answer the questions raised,” Dr. Garcia’s statement read, posted on Facebook by Cebu Province Governor Gwen Garcia, the deceased’s sister.
Relatives of deceased Chong Hua Hospital patients allege ‘highly expensive but controversial medical protocols’ of doctors.
“They deserve that transparency at least, especially after you had just handed them an 8.5-million peso medical bill! If your conscience is clear, then no need to hide behind social media gimmickry (such as cute hashtags, profile picture changes or generic general statements).”
Former Dumanjug Mayor Nelson died on 1 September due to “cardiopulmonary arrest secondary to probable massive pulmonary embolism” while Barili Mayor Marlon succumbed five days later due to “septic shock secondary to catheter related bloodstream infection, ventilator associated pneumonia.”
Both contracted the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) but the family said they recovered from “critical pneumonia.”
“They have recovered from COVID-19 as their medical certificates showed,” Cebu Representative Pablo John Garcia said during a press conference at the Cebu Capitol, where he was joined by Governor Garcia.
“It’s very clear, especially with the case of Mayor Marlon, that the sepsis was caused by catheter and pneumonia induced by the ventilator,” the congressman, who also acquired the virus albeit with mild symptoms, added.
Dialogue
In a statement, the hospital said its team of medical experts “provides only the best possible care for its patients.”
“The judgements of the medical team are backed by their extensive training and experience as doctors and medical practitioners and based on verified data. Their actions are consistent with globally accepted and clinically established procedures applicable to the patient’s diagnoses. In particular, the two attending physicians of the Garcia brothers are reputable and outstanding doctors, and are specialists in their fields,” the statement read.
Based on experience, Dr. Garcia said he is “happy to engage” patients or family members who challenge or question his medical decision-making.
“I answer questions to their satisfaction. I am always ready to defend my thought process and the actions taken, regardless of the patient’s outcome. I can be as general or as specific as they wish me to be in my explanation. I do not take offense by their questioning because it is my job as a doctor to ensure that my patients and their loved ones are always part of the medical decisionmaking process,” he said.
He added the Garcias are not “doctor shaming” nor are they seeking vengeance of any sort. He said “they are simply asking for accountability from the doctors and institutions involved for the family’s own closure and for the benefit of the public.”
The Cebu CFI Community Cooperative (CFI), chaired by the deceased’s brother, former Government Service Insurance System president and general manager Winston Garcia, has suspended the hospital’s accreditation and disqualified two doctors.
The CFI is a multi-billion cooperative with a membership base of 130,000 members, according to the company website. It has a health fund for members, with Chong Hua one of its accredited hospitals.
The suspension was a prerogative of the coop, the CFI said, as a precautionary measure on alleged abusive practices, protocols and procedures reported by members.
“We deemed it prudent and in the exercise of sound discretion to suspend the hospital’s accreditation and disqualify certain doctors pending resolution of an investigation on these allegations by appropriate medical experts and authorities,” a CFI statement read.
CFI said the series of deaths “under the same doctors and the same expensive treatment as well as huge medical bills imposed on their families and our coop are quite discomforting.”
Members’ complaints
Among the “disturbing allegations” was the claim of CFI members that their kin died because of the insistence of Chong Hua Hospital doctors to adopt “highly expensive but controversial medical protocols” and procedures adopted by the hospital for pre- and post COVID patients, the CFI said.
Another CFI member narrated that he was confined, upon doctor’s orders, at Chong Hua Hospital on suspicion that he has COVID-19. The member tested negative but was not allowed to go home right away as he was “subjected to a series of unnecessary laboratory tests.”