Polish National Health Fund's inquiry into the death of a pregnant woman in County Hospital in Pszczyna has confirmed glaring irregularities as regards organisation, methods, and quality of service provided to the patient. The fund has also ordered the hospital to pay a fine of nearly 650,000 zlotys.
The National Health Fund (NFZ) has closely examined the time the pregnant woman had spent at the hospital. The inquiry has revealed "glaring irregularities" in organisation, methods, and quality of service provided to the patient.
The NFZ also asked the public health consultant for perinatology for an opinion. Prof. Mirosław Wielgoś said that the steps taken regarding the woman had been insufficient and inadequate in relation to both her clinical situation, and the test results received during her stay at the hospital.
According to the findings, the decision to terminate the pregnancy was made too late, which means that the staff failed to adequately react to the patient's symptoms that was indicative of a developing septic shock. Furthermore, it has been found that the patient was not under constant monitoring, and necessary additional tests were not ordered.
Due to the revealed irregularities, the NFZ has ordered the hospital to pay a fine of nearly 650,000 zlotys, including 615,000 for failing to treat the patient with necessary dilligence, and approx. 32,000 for inadequate keeping of medical documentation.
The inquiry findings will now be handed over to the prosecutor's office, which is running a separate investigation.
The 30-year-old woman died in September in Pszczyna hospital. She was in the 22nd week of pregnancy, when her waters broke. The doctors had earlier diagnosed defects in the foetus. The woman died due to septic shock. Her family accused the doctors of waiting too long with pregancy termination. The NFZ launched the inquiry at the hospital on Novemebr 2.
Źródło: TVN24 News in English, PAP
Źródło zdjęcia głównego: TVN24