A hospital in Thailand has suspended a doctor and launched an internal inquiry after a woman accused staff of dismissing her husband’s chest pain symptoms, hours before he died of a suspected heart attack. The Social Security Office (SSO) has also sent officials to review the case.
The woman, known publicly as “Kru Sai”, said her husband, 31 year old Panupong Meesuk, went to San Camillo Hospital in Ban Pong district, Ratchaburi province, after developing sharp pain from his fingers to his left chest, accompanied by heavy sweating.
According to her account, the attending doctor diagnosed anxiety, declined to carry out an electrocardiogram (ECG) despite the family’s request and offer to pay for it themselves, and sent him home.
Kru Sai said her husband went into shock and died later the same day, before the family. A post-mortem found the cause of death was a blockage in two coronary arteries. The case drew widespread attention online after she posted a video describing the ordeal.
On July 18, San Camillo Hospital issued a statement expressing condolences to the family and confirming it had formed a fact-finding committee, made up of relevant medical experts, to review the treatment provided.
The hospital said the doctor involved had been suspended from duty pending the outcome of the inquiry, in order to keep the process transparent and impartial.
The same day, Assistant Professor Dr Nakarin Pinpathomrat, director of the SSO’s Medical Service System Office and deputy SSO spokesperson, visited the hospital to review medical service standards.
He said preliminary checks showed Panupong, an insured worker under the social security system, was admitted on July 16 with fatigue and chest pain radiating to his arm.
According to the SSO’s account, Panupong was first examined by an internal medicine doctor, then referred to an orthopaedic specialist, who found no bone-related cause. He was then sent back to the internal medicine doctor, who diagnosed anxiety.
Despite the family’s request for a heart examination, citing his unusual sweating and chest pain, this was declined, and he was discharged. At around 4pm the same day, he went into shock, lost consciousness and died.
The SSO said it was compiling all relevant information to bring before its subcommittee on medical service quality standards within the coming week. Officials said that if the hospital is found to have provided substandard care in breach of its service agreement, the SSO will immediately cut the hospital’s quota of insured patients as a penalty.
The SSO added that if Panupong’s family is found to have suffered harm as a result of the treatment, they can apply for initial compensation through the SSO’s subcommittee on preliminary assistance payments. Under the scheme, a death case can qualify for compensation of up to 400,000 baht.
Separately, standard social security death benefits available to the family include a funeral grant of 50,000 baht, accumulated old-age contributions of 58,405 baht plus interest, and a death gratuity of 30,000 baht.
Thairath reported that hospital management was reported to be travelling to attend a Buddhist prayer rite for Panupong in Min Buri district, Bangkok, to offer condolences to the family.
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