Doctors at Banglamung Hospital are under fire for sending home a girl with a severely broken leg, rather than performing the surgery relatives said was necessary.
Pattaya City Councilman Sanit Boonmachai took up the case of 17-year-old Methinee Khotabin after she complained to city hall that she was not given adequate care following a motorbike accident.
City Councilman Sanit Boonmachai took up the case after Methinee complained to city hall that she was not given adequate care at Banglamung Hospital following a motorbike accident.
Methinee said her leg was placed in a soft splint and she was told to go home and return in two or three days if it wasn’t better. The hospital, she said, refused to admit her and told her that if she wanted to be transferred to Chonburi Hospital, she’d have to make her own way there.
Hospital Director Narongsak Ekawatnakul contested the teenager’s account of the story, saying that although the hospital did at first x-ray the wrong leg and give an incorrect diagnosis, the girl did receive proper care.
He said the broken leg was too swollen to properly treat the break and advised her to return home only until the swelling eased enough so the leg could be set.
He said the hospital offered to arrange transport to Chonburi Hospital, but at her own expense, saying her case was not critical enough for its scarce ambulance resources.
“The doctors provided adequate standard care required to be given by every hospital,” Narongsak said.
Despite the family’s initial contentions that the severely broken leg warranted immediate surgery, the girl and her family accepted the hospital’s judgment and dropped their complaint.
