P
Patriot Games
Guest
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,318729,00.html
Japanese Woman Dies After 30 Hospitals Refuse Care
Friday, December 28, 2007
An 89-year-old woman died after an ambulance crew spent two hours trying 30
hospitals before finding one that would accept her for treatment, Japanese
officials said Friday.
The woman's family called an ambulance early Tuesday morning after she
became ill with vomiting and diarrhea, said Hideto Matsumoto, a fire
official in Tondabayashi City, Osaka prefecture (state).
The ambulance crew and local fire department contacted 30 hospitals before
one finally said it could admit her, Matsumoto said - about two hours after
her family had called for an ambulance.
The woman's heart stopped when she was taken to Osaka Minami Medical Center,
according to Matsumoto.
She was resuscitated at the hospital but died Wednesday, according to
hospital official Hiroshi Tone, who refused to disclose the woman's name or
cause of death, citing privacy reasons.
Matsumoto said the other hospitals rejected the woman because they were full
or their doctors were not immediately available to treat her.
Last year, a pregnant woman in western Japan died after being refused
admission by about 20 hospitals that said they were full.
The latest case underscores Japan's health care woes, in part created by a
shortage of doctors in the country's rapidly aging society. Critics say long
working hours and a government policy change several years ago to keep the
number of doctors down are to blame.
Japanese Woman Dies After 30 Hospitals Refuse Care
Friday, December 28, 2007
An 89-year-old woman died after an ambulance crew spent two hours trying 30
hospitals before finding one that would accept her for treatment, Japanese
officials said Friday.
The woman's family called an ambulance early Tuesday morning after she
became ill with vomiting and diarrhea, said Hideto Matsumoto, a fire
official in Tondabayashi City, Osaka prefecture (state).
The ambulance crew and local fire department contacted 30 hospitals before
one finally said it could admit her, Matsumoto said - about two hours after
her family had called for an ambulance.
The woman's heart stopped when she was taken to Osaka Minami Medical Center,
according to Matsumoto.
She was resuscitated at the hospital but died Wednesday, according to
hospital official Hiroshi Tone, who refused to disclose the woman's name or
cause of death, citing privacy reasons.
Matsumoto said the other hospitals rejected the woman because they were full
or their doctors were not immediately available to treat her.
Last year, a pregnant woman in western Japan died after being refused
admission by about 20 hospitals that said they were full.
The latest case underscores Japan's health care woes, in part created by a
shortage of doctors in the country's rapidly aging society. Critics say long
working hours and a government policy change several years ago to keep the
number of doctors down are to blame.