Doctors' strikes blamed for patient's death in Germany.

摘要

The death of a patient in Goettingen, central Germany, is being biamed on weeks of strikes by doctors demanding better pay and conditions. The physicians involved assert, that the patient's care was not compromised but a manslaughter inquiry is underway. Clare Chapman reports.A German hospital is under investigation after the death of a patient whose operation was postponed owing to a week of strikes over better pay and conditions.Doctors at the University Hospital in Goettingen, central Germany, were in their 13th week of strikes when the 57-year-old patient, named only as Elke S for legal reasons, suffered a fatal heart attack. She had been scheduled to have anintracardiaccatheterfittedonjune2, but the operation was put back a week because ofthe protests, even though poor results were recorded when an electrocardiogram was carried out. The patient died days later on June 4 after her condition worsened at home.Public Prosecutors in Goettingen have now launched a manslaughter investigation into the incident after newspaper reports on the case. Spokesman Hans-Hugo Heimgaertner says a number of doctors involved in the treatment of the patient are under investigation. "I am unable at this stage to reveal any details about the case, which will take some weeks to investigate. If we find there is cause to press charges against the doctors then the case will go to court. However, we may find that the hospital and its staff acted appropriately and therefore no further action will be taken", he says.