Mandaue lawyers seek DOH opinion on malpractice charge vs hospital

CEBU, Philippines - To avoid perceptions of bias, the Mandaue City Legal Office wants the Department of Health to render an opinion on the alleged malpractice at the Mandaue City Hospital.

“Para way bias, nangayo mi og opinion gikan sa DOH as to kung naay propriety, any negligence ug inadvertence,” said City Legal Officer Giovanni Tianero.

Tianero confirmed that hospital chief, Dr. Maria Lourdes Espinosa, has submitted their narration of facts and the same has been forwarded to the DOH for examination.

“If everything is confirmed, we will take it as the fact of the case,” Tianero said.

Espinosa has said that the examination of the hospital’s narrative requires expertise of judgement for “appropriate medical protocol”.

It was alleged that the hospital has committed malpractice in administering prescription, which led to the death of Jocelyn Coliflores last January 2.

Based on the death certificate that the hospital released, Coliflores died of “probable ruptured cerebral aneurysm” while the autopsy result issued on the same day by the Philippine National Police Regional Crime Laboratory Office said Jocelyn have died due to “sudden cardiac arrest” and “left ventricular hypertrophy”.

These findings confused Coliflores’ husband, Cesar. He demanded that the hospital explain the incident, considering that his wife died while under its care.

Cesar has also demanded for Jocelyn’s medical records from the hospital management. Last Tuesday, he sent a letter to Mandaue Mayor Jonas Cortes and Espina requesting for the medical records and a “complete, full and impartial investigation “ and “preventive suspension” order against Doctor Maria Antoinette Alcantara together with the hospital staff that attended her wife’s hospital confinement.

Coliflores’ lawyer, Inocencio De la Cerna, said his client will file a case if the hospital cannot provide the records. — (FREEMAN)