Specialist paramedics were called to treat a cardiac patient inside a hospital corridor because the emergency department was full, prompting an investigation by the Victorian government. or signup to continue reading The incident took place at Maroondah Hospital, in Melbourne's east, on Tuesday when ramped paramedics were forced to call an ambulance themselves after attempts to admit their patient failed. Victorian Health Minster Mary-Anne Thomas said she has asked for a full investigation into "exactly what happened".
"I've never heard anything like this before and it was very concerning to me," she told reporters at parliament on Wednesday. "I have made it very clear to both Eastern Health and Ambulance Victoria that I want to know exactly what has gone on here so we can do everything in our power to make sure it doesn't happen again." The patient involved was "doing well" and ultimately did not require admission to the hospital, Ms Thomas said.
Premier Jacinta Allan echoed Ms Thomas' stance, saying "protocol was not followed in this instance". "We do need to ensure that patient care is managed in accordance with the established protocols," she told reporters. Ambulance Victoria chief executive Andrew Crisp said an intensive care ambulance had to respond under lights and sirens to treat the patient in the hospital corridor.
"A crew needing to call intensive care back-up to ...
treat a patient in a hospital corridor in a major hospital ...
I don't think we've heard that befo.