Hello to all and Medical Malpractice help!

[hotdog1206]

Hello everyone I guess I'm a so called newbie.Not to Thailand as I've lived here for about 10 years.I've lived in many different places but have settled up in Nong Khai province. i have however followed TV for many years but never joined.I found tha the news was better here than the papers and the different forums get quite interesting

I have a big problem which started back in March and has ended up to be a horror story.I've had 5 operations on my leg and am now with a leg racked by infection and 25% of the bone eaten away.The doctor did not swab the infection till last month and after testing switched me to a broad spectrum antibacterial antibiotic.For months on the other the exterior infection seemed to be clearing while inside it was ravaging my bone. I need a good and very reasonable lawyer who can help me sue the doctor and hospital.i know this is Thailand and you don't get payouts like US and Canada and I 'm not looking to score huge.I want to have enough to go backto Canada and live there while I'm recuperating.The medical would be covered by OHIP.I have a small pension of 190 $ a month so that won't go far.I also want to have enough to come back live.

I need a good and reasonable lawer and contact number for Thaiand Medical Malpractice Network. I spoke to a lawyer and she quoted me 500'000 bht just to present he case plus extras charged at 10'000 to 3'500 bht per hour which I felt were a little high.Tomorrow I'm going to Udon Thani hospital and who knows what they will want to treat my leg.But it's so bad can barely walk 20 feet and every day when I hethe wound cleaned at the clinic they keep telling me you have to go hospital or will lose leg.. So if anyone can help me with some good information I'll be forever grateful

[PoorSucker]

Moved to the health forum.

[Mrjlh]

Just be aware that court cases here take years to get resolved. IMHO, it would be best to figure out how to get back home as quickly as possible to take care of your medical issue even if you have toborrow the money. There's more at stake than a lawsuit.

[crazygreg44]

Hey man, what are ya abating with ? Get back home to Canada as quick as you can, have your leg cared for, saved, your health condition surveyed and improved if possible.

You live only once , man.

If I was in your situation, I would learn flying ! Not over the balcony, but sure as shit homewards !!

Why do you wait ?? Have big trust into the Thai court system ? Do ya really believe in what some twinkle advocat told you ?

[ToddWeston]

Firstly I'm sorry to hear your ordeal. I would deal with the problem here, there are lots of good medical professionals who will be able to assist.

I understand you wanting to go home and have this tended to immediately however as a returning resident there is a waiting period for your OHIP coverage to start (3 months) Most new Canadians or returning Canadians purchase Royal Banks Visitor to Canada insurance policy but that for emergency care. Of course if you've kept all your details up to date with a Canadian drivers licence and the new green photo health card and a Canadian address that's another story, if your CPP is sent offshore they'll know.

http://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/public/publications/ohip/ohip_waiting_pd.aspx

What antibiotic regime did they have you on ? topical ?

Edit: I forgot to add, there is a great service provided by the Ministry of Health - telehealth. You can call them and get advice, they will ask for your OHIP number and a few details. Load an app called Magic Jack on your smart phone and you can call for free. You will speak with an RN and they have shadow doctors and pharmacists, it is provided for residents of Ontario and is really good. You will have to tell them you're in Ontario :)

http://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/public/programs/telehealth/

Edited October 22, 2013 by ToddWeston

[FBN]

There is no organisation in Thailand such as the "Medical malpractice" one you are referring to. There have been a number of similar posts on this forum over the years but, to my knowledge, none have been successfully managed through the local legal system.

As suggested, try and get a consult at a medical facility here associated with a medical university such as Chula in BKK if funds are an issue or a medical facility with appropriate medical skills to deal with the condition.

It seems that the condition you are suffering from is Osteitis which, even in the best facilities, are extremely hard to manage.

Alternatively, save and get back to Canada. Pursuing this locally, will take years.

[hotdog1206]

Firstly let me thank all of you who answered.In reponse to questions of why i don't get back home the answer was funds.anyhow when I wrote I was just the next day going to a hospital in Udon Thani.When the doctor took an xray they booked me in straight away and I was to see the orthopaedic surgeon next morning. He came and was very brief and said he would come back to give me all info.

Let me tell you I have nothing but Big Kudos for all staff and facilities UTH.Even in the general wing they took care of me as well as the other patients which to me was startling cuz Nong Khai and Nakhon Phanom staff would watch as I struggled to empty my own urinal.The food was good, fruit fresh brought to the bed and taken away

After a few days I was transferred to the new monks wing built by Venerable Luang Poh Maha Bua .of Udon Here I was really taken care of.Very quiet ward but well staffed by almost all male staff.The doctor had already prescribed a very strong antibiotic and pain meds.He told me that he wanted to try something new which consisted of opening the leg and packing the break with antibiotics and some compound and then securing theleg with a birdcage type of metal thing and metal pins I said ok. to be continued

[Sheryl]

I believe what you mean is the Thailand Medical Error Network which was founded (and is headed) by Preeyanan Lorsermvattana. This is an advocacy group working to reform laws so as to make it easier for victims of medical errors to receive compensation. I am not sure they have anything specific to offer to people seeking such compensation now, they are working towards long term legal reform. Anyway their website is http://thai-medical-error.blogspot.com/

If nothing else, I'm sure they can suggest a lawyer experienced in this type of case.

Whether you will get anywhere is another matter entirely. Litigation takes years and is very expensive and unless you can get a lawyer willing to work on a contingency basis (unlikely especially since you did not die and, as yet anyway, have not lost a limb) you are likely to worsen your financial situation at least in the near term by taking legal action.

What does sometimes work is to get a hospital to provide an out of court settlement, in which case you still have legal fees but lower ones. This is only likely to work if it was a private hospital that was involved, if it was a government hospital, forget it.

From your description it is, by the way, far from clear that malpractice occurred. It seems you developed osteomyelitis after some type of injury to the leg and several surgeries. This can happen even when proper care is given. It would be very hard to prove otherwise. You were evidently placed on antibiotics to which the infection failed to respond and I gather this was initially done without culturing the wound, not proper but very common way of proceeding in Thailand (and if the infection was within the bone, wound culture would not necessarily have helped). In short, even back in the West you would have a hard time proving negligence. Bad outcomes are not always due to malpractice, Sometimes just bad luck. I'm not saying no mistakes were made in your case, just that it would be hard to prove that any were made that were the direct cause of the continuing infection. Osteomyelitis is a much feared but not uncommon complication, can occur despite the best medical care, and takes months to resolve.

[Sceptict11]

No comprehensive history of the OP's condition is given so one can only speculate.

From the description given it would seem the OP has an oesteomyalitis a condition which can be very resistant to treatment.

It is important to note that developing such a condition is not an indication of "malpractice !

I do not understand the term "strong antibiotic" there are only appropriate antibiotics .

In the OP's case something like Clindomycin would be indicated owing to its excellent bone penetration qualities.

The course of treatment can extend over months although in some cases surgery may assist.

The OP is suffering what amounts to a chronic condition.

The OP should seek assistance from his Embassy with the aim of returning home.