Beijing emergency dispatcher sued for old man's death
- By Li Jingrong
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E-mail China.org.cn, December 1, 2015
A local court in Beijing recently held hearings on a medical dispute in which the Beijing Emergency Medical Center, widely known as Beijing 120, was sued for an old man's death due to a delay in emergency treatment, Sina.com reported on Monday.
Playback after the tragedy
It happened in the morning of Sept. 16 last year. Mr. Yan, 81, suddenly fell ill and fainted at the Dawa Bus Station in Beijing's Changping District at 7:05 when he was about to take a bus. The bus crew members immediately called 120 – the Beijing Emergency Medical Center's hotline.
However, the ambulance was so slow in coming that at 7:30 the bus crew members turned to call 999 – the Beijing Red Cross Emergency Rescue Center's hotline. Twenty-five minutes later, a 999 ambulance arrived and conducted an emergency treatment. The 120 ambulance finally arrived at 8:05 – an hour after receiving the first emergency call.
Yan failed to respond to the emergency treatment and died in the 999 ambulance on the way to hospital.
Each side sticks to their own story
Yan's family insisted that the ambulance's delay in arrival at the scene resulted in the death of the old man. Therefore, the family sued both Beijing 120 and Shahe Hospital for 80,000 yuan (US$12,504) in compensation. Shahe Hospital was where the 120 ambulance was dispatched.
"It is only seven kilometers between the Shahe Hospital and where my father fell ill. A normal drive is about 10 minutes. If the ambulance could have arrived at the scene earlier, my father could have lived," said Yan's son.
Beijing 120 argued that it transferred the message to its Changping Branch Center as soon as it received the emergency call that very day. "Our branches in the outskirts have their own subordinates which are not within the supervision of Beijing 120. In fact, Beijing 120 only exchanges communication via telephone. Once the call is forwarded, it has nothing to do with us," said an agent from the Beijing 120.
Shahe Hospital argued that their emergency center was delayed in sending out an ambulance because it had no oxygen cylinder available at that moment.
"A situation like Mr. Yan's usually represents an urgent need for an oxygen apparatus. Out of consideration not to delay the old man's treatment, the emergency center of the hospital suggested the caller dial 999 for help instead," said an agent of the Shahe Hospital.
The Shahe agent revealed that the caller accepted the suggestion and turned to call 999 for help later, and Mr. Yan died in a 999 ambulance on the way to hospital, so his death had nothing to do with their hospital.
What is more, both Beijing 120 and Shahe Hospital argued that the emergency center built inside the Shahe Hospital is not under their respective jurisdiction. Therefore, the Changping Branch Center who gave direct and immediate instructions to the emergency center in the Shahe Hospital will probably be sued as an additional defendant.
The judge adjourned the proceedings in the court and the hearings will continue on a selected date.
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