Peta Hickey inquest: Doctor tells court he never referred Heidelberg Heights mum for fatal scan

A healthy mum should have seen a doctor before an invasive heart scan that claimed her life, an inquest has heard.

The death of Peta Hickey, 43, is the subject of a coronial inquest. Picture: Supplied

A doctor whose name was used to sign off on a heart scan which killed a healthy mum thought she’d been assessed beforehand, declaring not doing so would be “madness”.

Dr Doumit Saad told a coronial inquest he’d never let a patient undergo such an invasive procedure without first making sure it was suitable.

Dr Saad said he’d only ever been commissioned to review CT coronary angiograms a company had suggested for senior executives including Peta Hickey, 43, who suffered a fatal anaphylactic response to contrast dye at a Moonee Ponds clinic.

“We were requested to review results. We weren’t asked to do the full executive check,’’ Dr Saad told the court.

“If we were conducting a full executive health check it would require a face-to-face assessment with the candidate — prior to any tests.

“My impression was that they were being assessed and referred for these scans.”

Dr Saad rejected evidence from bosses at Ms Hickey’s employer Programmed Skilled Workforce Limited and Priority Care Health Solutions, which engaged occupational health firm Jobfit where Dr Saad worked, that he’d advised scans could be done without a preliminary patient consultation.

Peta Hickey, 43, died after undergoing a heart check in May 2019. Picture: Supplied

The Sydney-based doctor, who never met Ms Hickey, said he’d never given approval for his name and digital signature to be used in an email sent to the Heidelberg Heights mum of two confirming her scan which listed him as the referring doctor.

“I did not refer Ms Hickey,’’ he said.

“I would never refer a patient for imaging that involved contrast without seeing that patient.

“That’s my practice and that’s what I’ve done for the last 24 years.

“It’s madness to refer someone for imaging that requires contrast without knowing the patient and knowing their history.”

The heart checks — also involving a coronary artery calcium score — were offered to senior staff at Ms Hickey’s firm after an executive had a heart attack on an overseas work trip.

Dr Saad said he believed Priority, which had a network of doctors, arranged initial assessments of executives and only those at risk of a heart attack had the CT coronary angiogram.

Dr Saad said his only role was to phone executives to review their results and go through a separate lifestyle questionnaire.

He’d write letters addressed to the GPs of those who needed to see a cardiologist, which were forwarded to Priority.

Ms Hickey — who had no history of cardiac problems — felt nauseous and was short of breath soon after the dye was injected on May 1, 2019.

She left behind a son, now aged 10, a daughter, 4, and partner Richard.

The inquest continues.