Richmond Hospital not at fault in H1N1 death, review finds

VANCOUVER — A Vancouver Coastal Health review has found that Richmond Hospital was not at fault in the death of a Richmond, B.C. woman who died of H1N1 after being sent home from the hospital twice.

Mae Mah, 51, died of H1N1 on Nov. 1, hours after being sent home from Richmond Hospital. She had also been to the hospital the day before.

Mah had asthma, and had been experiencing breathing problems and fever, but H1N1 was not diagnosed until after her death.

“From Vancouver Coastal’s point of view there is no indication of negligence on the part of any staff,” said James Nesbitt, a VCH spokesman.

“We are meeting with the family, at their request in December, as a final step before the review can be complete.”

Nesbitt said all factors are taken into consideration when a VCH review is conducted. To get an accurate picture, Nesbitt said VCH looked at the patient’s underlying health conditions, and other treatments, the presence of H1N1 virus, and spoke to doctors, nurses and hospital administrators.

“The individual was in a high-risk group for H1N1, she was asthmatic,” said Nesbitt. “VCH is reminding everyone who hasn’t been inoculated to get an H1N1 shot.”

Vancouver Sun