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Diagnosing bird flu 'difficult'
<!---Print DATE--> City News - Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Agnes Winarti, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Following the death of Nasrudin Sarmili due to bird flu in January, some residents have started doubting the ability of health care providers to treat the illness.
Several of Nasrudin's family members said he was misdiagnosed several times before his death on Jan. 29.
Nasrudin was diagnosed with gastric pain at a public health center and with dengue fever at a public clinic before being diagnosed with dengue fever, typhoid fever and lung disease at Tangerang's Bhakti Asih Hospital on Jan. 24.
The following day, the 33-year-old was thought to be displaying the symptoms of bird flu. He was referred to an avian influenza ward at Persahabatan Hospital in East Jakarta.
Two hours after it was confirmed Nasrudin was suffering from bird flu, he died.
Health Ministry spokeswoman Lily Sulistyowati told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday that diagnosing bird flu was a difficult task.
"Diagnosing bird flu is difficult because symptoms of the virus are similar to those of the common flu and dengue fever.
"That is why it is hard for doctors to make a firm diagnosis in a short period of time. It all depends on each patient's condition and symptoms," she said.
Nasrudin's family is currently arguing that his death was the result of medical negligence, with doctors taking too long to correctly diagnose his illness.
"We, as Nasrudin's family, are yet to receive his medical records," Nasrudin's younger brother, Muhidin, said Tuesday.
"During his hospitalization, doctors only explained verbally what was wrong with him without showing us his medical documents."
Lily said hospitals were under no obligation to give medical records to the family members of patients.
"Patients have the right to be informed, but there is no obligation for doctors to share medical records with family members."
However, the chairman of the Indonesian Health Consumers Empowerment Foundation, Marius Widjajarta, said patients were the rightful owners of their medical records.
"Patients and their families own their medical records, but the records must be kept at the hospital that treated them.
"However, it is still unclear if an original copy of a patient's medical records or a copied version should be kept by hospitals," he told the Post.
Marius said ownership over medical records was currently being discussed by the directorate general of medical care at the Health Ministry.
"However, the death of Nasrudin was not due to malpractice," he said.
Marius said people filing complaints about medical malpractice should do their research first.
When patients are first admitted to hospital, they are observed for a period of time, the length of which depends on their condition and the medical services available, he said.
"Within the observation period, a doctor can change a patient's diagnosis several times before reaching a final diagnosis."
Since April 2007 the Health Ministry has named 100 hospitals in Aceh, Sumatra, Java, Bali, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Maluku and Papua as bird flu referral centers. However, from the 127 cases of bird flu reported in the country, 103 patients have died.
There are only two referral hospitals in Jakarta -- the Persahabatan and Sulianti Saroso public hospitals.
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<!---Print DATE--> City News - Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Agnes Winarti, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Following the death of Nasrudin Sarmili due to bird flu in January, some residents have started doubting the ability of health care providers to treat the illness.
Several of Nasrudin's family members said he was misdiagnosed several times before his death on Jan. 29.
Nasrudin was diagnosed with gastric pain at a public health center and with dengue fever at a public clinic before being diagnosed with dengue fever, typhoid fever and lung disease at Tangerang's Bhakti Asih Hospital on Jan. 24.
The following day, the 33-year-old was thought to be displaying the symptoms of bird flu. He was referred to an avian influenza ward at Persahabatan Hospital in East Jakarta.
Two hours after it was confirmed Nasrudin was suffering from bird flu, he died.
Health Ministry spokeswoman Lily Sulistyowati told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday that diagnosing bird flu was a difficult task.
"Diagnosing bird flu is difficult because symptoms of the virus are similar to those of the common flu and dengue fever.
"That is why it is hard for doctors to make a firm diagnosis in a short period of time. It all depends on each patient's condition and symptoms," she said.
Nasrudin's family is currently arguing that his death was the result of medical negligence, with doctors taking too long to correctly diagnose his illness.
"We, as Nasrudin's family, are yet to receive his medical records," Nasrudin's younger brother, Muhidin, said Tuesday.
"During his hospitalization, doctors only explained verbally what was wrong with him without showing us his medical documents."
Lily said hospitals were under no obligation to give medical records to the family members of patients.
"Patients have the right to be informed, but there is no obligation for doctors to share medical records with family members."
However, the chairman of the Indonesian Health Consumers Empowerment Foundation, Marius Widjajarta, said patients were the rightful owners of their medical records.
"Patients and their families own their medical records, but the records must be kept at the hospital that treated them.
"However, it is still unclear if an original copy of a patient's medical records or a copied version should be kept by hospitals," he told the Post.
Marius said ownership over medical records was currently being discussed by the directorate general of medical care at the Health Ministry.
"However, the death of Nasrudin was not due to malpractice," he said.
Marius said people filing complaints about medical malpractice should do their research first.
When patients are first admitted to hospital, they are observed for a period of time, the length of which depends on their condition and the medical services available, he said.
"Within the observation period, a doctor can change a patient's diagnosis several times before reaching a final diagnosis."
Since April 2007 the Health Ministry has named 100 hospitals in Aceh, Sumatra, Java, Bali, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Maluku and Papua as bird flu referral centers. However, from the 127 cases of bird flu reported in the country, 103 patients have died.
There are only two referral hospitals in Jakarta -- the Persahabatan and Sulianti Saroso public hospitals.
http://www.thejakartapost.com/misc/PrinterFriendly.asp
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