Coronial
QLDhospital

Newman, Patricia Dell

Deceased

Patricia Dell Newman

Demographics

72y, female

Coroner

Springer

Date of death

2006-03-29

Finding date

2007-12-20

Cause of death

Congestive cardiac failure due to or as a consequence of essential hypertension

AI-generated summary

Patricia Dell Newman, aged 72, was admitted to Rockhampton Base Hospital on 11 March 2006 with profound hypotension, acute renal failure, severe malnutrition, and multi-organ failure that had developed over weeks to months. Her presentation masked significant clinical illness. The coroner found she received extensive appropriate investigations and satisfactory clinical care. Family concerns about communication and alleged inappropriate comments regarding ICU costs were investigated but not substantiated. The coroner found no evidence of improper clinical decision-making or system failures. Key lesson: clinicians should recognise that seriously ill patients may not appear obviously unwell on initial assessment. Communication with distressed families about prognosis should be clear, empathetic, and offer accessible pathways for clarification.

AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes. Report an inaccuracy.

Specialties

general medicinerespiratory medicineintensive care

Error types

communication

Clinical conditions

multi-organ failurecongestive cardiac failureacute renal failuresepsissevere malnutritionessential hypertensionMeige's Syndrome

Contributing factors

  • Multi-organ failure
  • Acute renal failure
  • Essential hypertension
  • Severe malnutrition
  • Prolonged underlying illness (weeks to months)
  • Sepsis
  • Meige's Syndrome

Coroner's recommendations

  1. Queensland Health should consider developing a brochure for family members provided when important information about prognosis and treatment of gravely ill patients is being given, setting out how to obtain additional or clearer information with relevant contact numbers
  2. Health professionals should make every effort to ensure that people understand the information being given to them about patient prognosis and treatment
  3. Family members should be encouraged to seek clarification of information they do not understand, potentially through hospital social workers or further discussion with clinicians
Full text
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