A UK coroner has concluded that a brilliant Indian-origin doctor, Amit Patel, died of a rare disease he was an expert on, due to medical negligence. The coroner's conclusion came after a two-year-long investigation revealed that Dr. Patel's death resulted from a poorly executed medical procedure performed without his explicit consent.
Professor Amit Patel, a distinguished Manchester-based NHS Consultant Haematologist and a member of the haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) National Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT), was a trailblazer in stem cell transplantation. HLH is a rare autoimmune disorder in which certain white blood cells accumulate in organs and destroy other blood cells.
Dr. Patel, who was 43 years old, was hospitalized in August 2021 with HLH. Despite being aware of the severe nature of his condition and fearing for his life, as shared with his wife and general practitioner Shivani Tanna, his health deteriorated rapidly. He passed away weeks later.
The investigation, which started in April-May of this year, was conducted to gather evidence from the experts involved in Dr. Patel's care. It concluded a few days ago.
According to the Manchester Coroner's judgement released on May 30, Dr. Patel underwent an endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) procedure on September 2, 2021, following a recommendation by the national HLH MDT. This recommendation was based on an incomplete presentation of Dr. Patel's clinical case and should not have been made. The coroner's report highlighted that Dr. Patel's medical team was unaware he had developed disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), a blood-clotting disorder. Consequently, the procedure left him with a less than 10% chance of survival after a blood vessel was ruptured.
The coroner's probe concluded that Dr. Patel was not given the opportunity to provide informed consent for the EBUS procedure. These factors significantly contributed to his death on October 28, 2021. The coroner noted that if the national HLH MDT had all relevant information, the procedure would not have gone ahead, and Dr. Patel would not have died.
The court proceedings highlighted the special bond and love Dr. Patel had with his family and friends. He was described as an amazing human being, with his achievements as a husband and father being most cherished by those who loved him.
Coroner Zak Golombek emphasized that Dr. Patel, despite his extensive medical knowledge, was primarily a husband and father and was not given the chance to consider the procedure's effects on his condition. The coroner's report concluded that Dr. Patel's death was caused by failures in his care and was avoidable.
In response, the Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust conducted a thorough examination of the care provided to Dr. Patel. Jane Eddleston, joint group chief medical officer for the trust, stated that the trust is committed to applying the lessons learned to improve patient safety, quality of care, and experience.
