HA to raise staff alertness after fatal feeding error

Hospital Authority chief executive Libby Lee said on Thursday that new measures will be introduced to raise medical staff alertness, after a patient died at the Prince of Wales Hospital last week having choked on a regular meal instead of his prescribed pureed diet. The patient, who had a history of dementia and stroke, was admitted to the hospital on September 16 due to a deteriorating mental state. During a clinical assessment, a doctor mistakenly issued a "diet as tolerated" (DAT) order, which indicates that a patient can safely consume a regular diet regardless of the meal's texture or type. A nursing staff member subsequently failed to check the patient's previous diet records, resulting in a regular meal being served to the patient, who eventually choked and passed away. Speaking after a Hospital Authority board meeting, Lee described the incident as "highly sub-optimal" and a "huge shock" for the medical community. She stressed that improvements are needed, but disagreed that the issue could be resolved simply by eliminating DAT orders. "I am waiting for the investigation report, and we believe there are a lot of areas that can be improved. It is not going to solve the problem simply by removing DAT," Lee said. "Maybe it is...