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香港的醫療服務水平普遍都很高，不過，即使醫護人員有多訓練有素和專業，有時也難免會在治療過程中出錯。這一節「長者法網智多聲」，就跟大家談談醫療疏忽。
甚麼是醫療疏忽呢？醫護人員提供的醫療服務低於認可水平，沒有做應該做的、或做了不應該做的，而導致病人受傷或死亡，就是專業疏忽，亦即醫療疏忽。如果病人因此而受害，就可以以醫療疏忽為理由，要求賠償。
要留意，如果純粹因為醫生沒有把您醫治好，或接受治療之後出現不良反應，就要控告醫護人員或機構醫療疏忽，這種想法便不太對了。
法庭在處理醫療疏忽申索個案時，要考慮的事項是很多和很複雜的，例如，怎樣才是「達致合標準的護理水平」呢？執業醫生的表現如何？還有醫學報告等。法庭要考慮所有證據，才可以裁定是否有醫療疏忽；病人亦要證明，是因為專業醫護人員的表現太差，所以才出現不理想的醫療效果，這叫「因果關係」，一般都要由專家證人作證。要證明存在「因果關係」，亦是醫療疏忽申索最難的部分。
控告醫護人員或機構醫療疏忽，要有甚麼理由呢？如果醫生處方了錯誤藥物導致您受害、您有骨折但醫生發現不到、在醫院留醫時受感染、康復的時間較醫生預期的長、麻醉之後仍然清醒、絕育或結紮手術失敗、手術出錯導致身體受永久傷害、失去工作能力或自我照顧能力等，這些都可能是理由。
由於每件案件也不同，所以很難說這宗案件可以賠到多少錢，那一宗又可以賠得多少。一般情況下，法庭在決定賠償金額時，會考慮很多因素，好像是病人因為醫療疏忽花費了多少錢、他承受了多少痛楚和苦難、因為醫療疏忽而損失了多少錢等。
在採取法律行動之前，我們建議大家先向有關的醫護人員和醫療機構發投訴信，看看他們有何回應，再決定是否告上法庭。由於涉及醫療疏忽的官司，一般都很複雜，所以最好還是請專門處理醫療疏忽申索的律師幫忙。如果負擔不起律師費，就可以考慮向法律援助署申請法律援助。香港律師會亦設立了免費法律諮詢熱線，但千萬不要找索償代理呀。有關法律援助，大家可以到長者社區法網文字版找到詳情。至於想知道多一點醫療疏忽的資訊，也可以參考我們的網頁。謝謝大家收聽。
PrintHow to make a claim for medical negligence?
Initially, you will need to obtain and collate all relevant medical records and notes for the entire treatment period from the medical professional or institution that treated you. Next, you have to find an independent medical expert, give him/her the records, and ask the expert to comment on whether or not medical negligence was involved.
You will need the following information:
- contact details of the person potentially liable for the claim for medical negligence;
- a chronology of all of the events that has led you to think you have grounds for a claim for medical negligence;
- an account of the actual treatment given and any ill effects that resulted from it;
- documentation of any complaint you may have raised with the medical institution or practitioner;
- any other supporting documentation or details.
For a medical negligence claim to be successful, broadly speaking it is important to establish that the errors that occurred during the medical treatment would not reasonably have occurred if the same procedure had been conducted by another competent medical professional. It needs to be proved that the treatment fell below acceptable standards and that the treatment has caused harm or injury to the patient.
If you are not sure whether the treatment you have received would potentially warrant a claim for compensation based on medical negligence, here is a non-exhaustive list of common events that may justify closer scrutiny:
- A requirement for surgery that was not at first anticipated
- A bone fracture that has been missed
- Infections (acquired while in hospital)
- Harm brought on by incorrectly prescribed medicine
- A permanent disability
- An illness progressing to a stage where treatment is no longer an option
- An ongoing pain
- A recovery period that is longer than the expected period advised by the medical practitioner
- Inability to work or care for oneself
- Mistakes during cosmetic surgery
- Awareness during anaesthesia
- Failed sterilisation or vasectomy cases
- Brain injury or loss of memory
- Having to re-attend A&E shortly after having been discharged
- Cancer misdiagnosis
- Surgical error which causes permanent damage to the body
If, after considering all of the above, it seems that medical negligence could be established, prior to the commencement of action for medical negligence it is advisable that you send a written complaint to the relevant medical professional or institution detailing your concerns in full. If you receive no response or settlement offer, you may consider contacting a specialist medical negligence solicitor for assistance.
If the amount of compensation that you are claiming is over HK$3,000,000, you must start your action in the Court of First Instance of the High Court. Claims for an amount under HK$3,000,000 can be instituted in the District Court. Claims under HK$75,000 can be pursued in the Small Claims Tribunal.
Since medical negligence constitutes a form of personal injury, for more details on the legal proceedings involved, please refer to the “Personal Injuries” Section of the CLIC website. A medical negligence action is regarded as a personal injury action and therefore must be commenced within three years of the date when “the cause of action accrued” or the date of the claimant’s actual or constructive “knowledge” of the injury.