Box Hill Hospital beds linked to patient deaths

PATIENT deaths and severe injuries have been linked to suspect hospital beds at a major Melbourne hospital.

Box Hill hospital has contacted 53 patients or their families after an investigation uncovered a cluster of very serious pressure injuries at the hospital. Picture: Andy Brownbill

PATIENT deaths and severe injuries have been linked to suspect hospital beds at a major Melbourne hospital.

Box Hill hospital has contacted 53 patients or their families after an investigation uncovered a cluster of very serious pressure injuries at the hospital.

The injuries are feared to have contributed to the deaths of two patients, which are set to be examined by the coroner.

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While a high number of other patients identified by an Eastern Health investigation have also died, the injuries they suffered are not believed to have been a contributing factor in their deaths.

Eastern Health has now begun replacing 383 of Box Hill’s 461 hospital beds over safety concerns, though maintains the $3 million process is a precautionary measure.

In a response to the Herald Sun, Eastern Health said it had not been able to identify a “definitive cause” for a dramatic rise in severe pressure injuries at its new $450 million Box Hill Hospital, but was replacing the beds after a dramatic rise in severe pressure injuries.

“In two of these cases, while the individual patients were elderly and suffering from a number of different medical conditions, it is possible that the pressure injuries experienced by the patients may have been a contributing factor in their deaths,” an Eastern Health

statement said.

“We take pressure injury prevention and management very seriously and will be contacting all of these potentially affected patients and / or their families to make them aware of this issue as part of our open disclosure process.

“There are a total of 383 beds being replaced, as a precaution. Patient safety is our number one priority.

“We have already ordered the new beds because we are not willing to wait or compromise our patients’ safety and care.”

Minister for Health Jill Hennessy said she took “safety in our hospitals very seriously.”

“That’s why Safer Care Victoria and Eastern Health acted immediately to put preventative clinical measures in place to ensure patient safety and prevent further pressure injuries,” she said

“Safer Care Victoria will continue to work through this matter with the patients who have been affected and their families, and ensure any lessons learnt will be shared across our health system.”

The Department of Health was notified late last year when the hospital‘s internal reporting systems flagged concerns over an unexplained rise in pressure injuries, triggering an investigation that raised issues over patient injuries dating back to the opening of the redeveloped hospital in October 2014.

Pressures injuries are common among patients confined to bed for prolonged periods, where skin and other tissue are damaged by pressure or friction.

More than 100,000 patients have been treated at Box Hill Hospital since its redevelopment, with severe injuries identified in 53 cases.

A probe into the hospital’s clinical practices did not identify any issues that could have led to the rise in severe injuries.

Eastern Health said it implemented additional preventive measures to in February to protect patients, including barrier wipes to maintain skin condition, silicone dressings, as well as wedges, boots and extra pillows to protect patients’ heels.

“Since implementing these extensive further measures in February, Eastern Health has not identified any incidences of serious pressure injuries related to these beds,” Eastern Health said.

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