This appeared a few days ago.
Row over staff who tried to delete Adelaide hospital records
- The Australian
- September 4, 2015 12:00AM
Michael Owen
Charges could be considered against four senior staff of a major Adelaide hospital who tried to delete a patient’s radiology record.
The Crown Solicitor’s Office was yesterday considering a report by South Australia’s chief medical officer, Paddy Phillips, into the allegedly illegal action at the Lyell McEwin Hospital in June. Once crown law has considered the matter, it may be forwarded to the Department of Public Prosecutions to consider charges.
A redacted copy of the report, provided to The Australian yesterday, found clear attempts had been made to erase the report but because of the integrity of the records system, it was not actually deleted.
“It wasn’t destroyed, it was separated, but it did make it invisible so it wasn’t seen on the record, which makes it effectively deleted,” Professor Phillips said yesterday.
South Australian Health Minister Jack Snelling ordered an investigation after radiologist Paul Newbold in July revealed that a report he placed on a patient’s record was erased. He described its removal as “very dangerous and very sinister”.
The radiologist’s comments were critical of the hospital and related to the ordering of tests and delays in reporting test results following the introduction of a new computer medical imaging system.
Professor Phillips said four hospital staff from middle management and higher “were involved in the separation of that medical record, or that radiology report, for that test from that individual patient’s record”.
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There is also coverage of the matter here:
Four Lyell McEwin Hospital staff 'counselled' after changing medical record to remove doctor's criticism
Four staff members from Lyell McEwin Hospital in Adelaide have been "counselled" for removing a radiologist's comments about hospital management from a patient's medical record.
In July, Dr Paul Newbold revealed part of a patient's record was deleted and he believed the deletions were "very dangerous and very sinister".The comments related to the ordering of tests and delays in reporting test results.
The hospital introduced a new computer medical imaging system called ESMI in May.
"That report has been erased, it's like I never left home, never drove to the hospital, never put that report in the medical record system," Dr Newbold said at the time.
Chief medical officer Paddy Phillips conducted a review of the situation and told 891 ABC Adelaide that it was "a serious issue".
He said the four people ranging from middle management and higher "were involved in the separation of that medical record, or that radiology report for that test from that individual patient's record".
"It wasn't destroyed but it was separated, but that did make it invisible so it wasn't seen on the record which makes it effectively if you like deleted."
"They tried to do something that was inappropriate. They now know that, they admit that they made a mistake and they have been counselled."
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It is hard to believe that those involved in this sort of activity should be not both be named and dismissed - at the very least as an example to all staff that such activity is utterly forbidden and potentially very dangerous.
I look forward to the full release of the report done by Dr Phillips.
David.
David, all the way from Chile. What in the name of hell were they trying to do? What was there intention? Also the "intent' seems to be in the persistence of the "deleting efforts". I hope the review is honest and not covered up in beauracracy.
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