Medical News Summary: Lack of follow-up on x-ray result leads to man’s death from cancer
About: Lack of follow-up on x-ray result leads to man’s death from cancer
Date: 4 December 2004
Source: Stuff
Author: Nikki McDonald, Anne-Marie Johnsondel
Medical News Summary (summary of medical news story as reported by Stuff): A man died 3 years after he had a chest x-ray because his cancer went undiagnosed. At the time, some abnormality was noted, but the man had already been discharged by the time the results reached the ward. No follow-up was done until about two years later he was diagnosed with cancer following a hospital admission for chest pain. The tumor was inoperable and he died within a year. The ACC ruled that the doctor in charge of the x-ray breached standard of care by not making sure the results were passed on to the relevant health provider. The hospital system was also blamed for its tardy processing systems and inadequate policies for transferring information. The medical mistake means that the man’s wife will receive help with childcare costs for 3 of her five children. This is one of several recent deaths caused by x-ray result delays or problems.
URL: http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3146326a7144,00.html
Related Disease Topics: Cancer
Related Medical News Channels: This medical news summary article refers to the following medical channel categories:
- death from cancer
- Medical mistake
- medical mistake and cancer
- medical mistake and death
- Medical mistake and x-ray
- Undiagnosed
- Undiagnosed and cancer
- Undiagnosed and death
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