N.S. doctor denies alleged negligence in case of woman who died after long ER wait
N.S. doctor denies alleged negligence in case of woman who died after long ER wait
Allison and Günter Holthoff pose for a photo on a beach. (Source: Ali Holthoff/Facebook)
HALIFAX -
A doctor named in a lawsuit after a Nova Scotia woman died in hospital following a long wait to see a physician has denied allegations from the family that he failed in his duties.
Allison Holthoff died at the Cumberland Regional Health Centre in Amherst, N.S., due to complications associated with an untreated splenic aneurysm, according to a statement of claim filed Feb. 22 on behalf of Holthoff's three children and her husband.
The family has alleged in their lawsuit that medical staff failed to assess Holthoff's condition or take her vitals on multiple occasions over the course of her hospital visit on Dec. 31, 2022, as her condition rapidly deteriorated.
In his notice of defence filed Thursday, Dr. John Atia said he wasn't negligent in his treatment of Holthoff, denied he "failed to respond to pleas of nursing staff," and said he worked "in a consummately professional manner."
The lawsuit was launched by the family in Nova Scotia Supreme Court against Nova Scotia Health and Atia, the attending ER physician when Holthoff arrived.
The doctor's statement said when Holthoff first was triaged by ER staff at 11:14 a.m., she had abdominal pain that was being felt in her chest as she breathed, but "her vital signs were all within normal ranges."
Atia says at 11:45 a.m., as he was attending other patients, he ordered blood work, an electrocardiogram and urine analysis for Holthoff and "it turned out the test results were normal."
The woman's husband, Gunter Holthoff, has said he took his wife to the hospital when she collapsed in extreme pain after complaining of an upset stomach at their home near Amherst.
Holthoff has said that after being triaged by hospital staff, his wife waited more than six hours in the emergency room before she was taken to a room inside the unit, and it was another hour before she saw a doctor and received pain treatment.
Atia says in his statement of defence that as Holthoff was waiting, he was occupied with four critical psychiatric emergency cases and four critical cases of pediatric illness, and he was working on his own.
It says in one of the cases of pediatric stroke, Atia had to expend "considerable effort" to arrange Life Flight service to IWK Health Centre.
The statement of defence says that between 11:45 a.m. and 6 p.m. Atia wasn't told of Holthoff's deteriorating condition, and he only learned at about 6 p.m. that her blood pressure had "dropped precipitously."
The defence says he immediately went to assess her and ordered treatments to diagnose her and arrange imaging of the chest, abdomen and pelvis, and to arrange for a radiologist in Halifax to do the analysis.
According to the document, while the CT scan was being arranged, Atia had brought Holthoff to an area where X-rays were to be taken. It says as Atia was briefing another ER doctor who was coming on shift, Holthoff had a heart attack.
Atia then stayed after hours and "worked diligently" to help arrange for Holthoff's intensive care, says the defence.
The defendant asks the court to dismiss the case against him and that he be allowed to seek legal costs from the plaintiff.
A day before Holthoff's death, 67-year-old Charlene Snow died at home after she gave up on seeing a doctor at a Cape Breton emergency room after waiting about seven hours. After the two deaths, Nova Scotia announced a plan aimed at providing faster urgent care for patients.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 31, 2023.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh is pushing for special rapporteur David Johnston to 'step aside' from his role examining the issue of foreign interference before he embarks on public hearings.
New Democrat MP Jenny Kwan said Monday that Canada's spy agency has confirmed her long-held belief she is being targeted by the Chinese government, as the prime minister granted the NDP's wish to allow more party members to review top-secret intelligence.
William Karlsson, William Carrier and Jonathan Marchessault are finally getting another chance in the Stanley Cup Final, after the first one that came so quick for the Vegas Golden Knights.
Eastern Conference finals Most Valuable Player Jimmy Butler scored 28 points, and Caleb Martin had 26 points and 10 rebounds to help the eighth-seeded Miami Heat beat the Celtics 103-84 in Game 7 on Monday night and advance to the NBA Finals for the second time in four seasons.
Canadian political leaders and parliamentarians are denouncing a new law passed in Uganda that imposes harsh penalties, including the death penalty, for certain cases involving homosexuality.
There's a heightened risk of wildfires across the country during what has been one of the earliest fire seasons on record. From British Columbia to Nova Scotia, here's where the risk is highest.
New research from Penn State University found certain factors can contribute to reducing what’s known as the 'urban heat island' effect, and that climate knowledge can contribute to better city planning and design.
One long-time electoral tradition came to an end on election day, when Postmedia announced there would be no printed newspaper announcing the winner in Calgary.
The union representing the majority of Quebec's daycare workers is criticizing the government's decision to launch a skimpy 90-hour training program for people who want to be daycare workers but have no prior experience.
A Quebec driver who caused the death of another motorist when he swerved his truck to avoid hitting a family of ducks on the road has been sentenced to eight months in jail and a three-year driving ban.
Over 170,000 elementary and high school students weighed in on the Alberta election and the NDP had to hope the real voters were listening, because they won the kids' vote.
The body of a Winnipeg boy who fell into Sturgeon Falls on Saturday has been found following a desperate underwater search that lasted more than a day.
A Winnipeg family is asking for help to find their missing teenage son whom they haven't seen since he left for school in the Fort Richmond area last Wednesday morning.
The body of a Winnipeg boy who fell into Sturgeon Falls on Saturday has been found following a desperate underwater search that lasted more than a day.
The Sandy Hill Child Care Centre has an extra two weeks to get its new home up to code months after a fire destroyed its original site on Wilbrod Street.
Ottawa police are praising a local dad for quickly calling for help Sunday afternoon when he accidentally locked his keys in his car, and his infant child along with them.
Ontario Provincial Police say a driver from Augusta Township is facing an impaired driving charge after someone on Highway 416 spotted a vehicle moving erratically.
In a province where there are vast distances between cities and towns, one local group is hoping to get public support for an idea to bridge those gaps with a rail line.
On Monday, Fraser Health provided two senior leaders to address the latest letter outlining risks to patients, allegations of muzzling, and pleas for help from emergency physicians in the health authority's hospitals.
The president of the BC Trucking Association is issuing renewed calls for safety after a trailer truck smashed into an overhead pass Monday morning in Langley.
The first twister of 2023 in the country touched down near Regina over the weekend, according to an analysis from the Northern Tornadoes Project (NTP).
One person from Estevan, Sask. is dead and another is seriously injured following a collision between a pickup truck and a motorcycle on May 28 near Fortuna, North Dakota.
Capital Bike is encouraging Greater Victoria residents to choose cycling as a way to get around the region during "Go By Bike Week," which runs from May 29 to June 4.
Allison and Günter Holthoff pose for a photo on a beach. (Source: Ali Holthoff/Facebook)
