A general practitioner (GP) at an after hours clinic was found to have breached the health code after the death of a man in 2017 who the doctor failed to appropriately examine and assess when he presented with abdominal cramps.
The man, who was aged in his seventies and had several long-term health conditions including chronic renal failure, hypertension, and a hernia, went to the clinic with vomiting and abdominal cramps, according to a statement released by the Health and Disability Commissioner.
The GP did not examine the man’s abdomen and concluded the man had a mild gastric upset, sending him home and advising him to return if symptoms persisted.
The man died two days later of complications from a bowel obstruction.
The GP was found to have breached the Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers’ Rights.
Health and Disability Commissioner (HDC) Anthony Hill said expected clinical practice was for the GP to conduct an abdominal examination with the GP also failing to record a provisional diagnosis for his findings.
"An abdominal examination was clinically indicated in this situation, [The GP] missed an opportunity to provide further intervention to [the man] and [the man’s] continuity of care may have been compromised,” Mr Hill said.
It was recommended that the GP apologise to the man’s wife, arrange an independent audit of his clinical notes to check that appropriate records have been made, and undertake further training, Health and Disability Commissioner said.
Mr Hill also recommended that the medical centre report back to HDC on the implementation and effectiveness of the changes it has made as a result of this investigation.
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