2023-10-18 21:50:03
Tragic Death of Toddler Sparks Debate Over the Use of Video Calls in Healthcare
In a devastating turn of events, a young girl named Maeve lost her life after her symptoms were misjudged during a video call with a general practitioner (GP). Maeve’s parents, Lindsey and her husband, who themselves work in the medical field as an anesthetist and a surgeon respectively, are now speaking out about their daughter’s untimely death and advocating for changes in healthcare protocols.
The ordeal began on Thursday, June 15, when two-year-old Maeve woke up with a high fever of 40.8 degrees. Concerned, Lindsey reached out to a GP, seeking advice on how to manage the fever. However, the doctor advised Lindsey that paracetamol (acetaminophen) would be sufficient. Despite her parents’ medical background, Maeve’s condition continued to worsen over the following days.
On Saturday, Lindsey called the GP post in Hilversum, expressing her concerns about Maeve’s worsening symptoms. Despite her pleas, the GP and an assistant recommended continuing with video consultations. Unfortunately, during the video call, Maeve’s symptoms, which included staring, drowsiness, and photophobia, were not recognized as red flags by the assistant. Instead, they prescribed paracetamol once again.
By Saturday evening, Maeve’s condition had deteriorated significantly, with new symptoms such as blue spots on her body. Terrified, Lindsey and her husband rushed Maeve to the GP post in Hilversum. Finally, the severity of Maeve’s condition was acknowledged, and she was immediately transferred to the emergency room of Tergooi Hospital. From there, she was transported by ambulance to Amsterdam UMC, where she ultimately passed away.
A scan performed after her death revealed that Maeve had a streptococcal bacterial infection, which had progressed to meningitis. The parents strongly believe that mistakes were made by the GPs who misjudged the severity of their daughter’s symptoms. Their disappointment is primarily focused on the use of video consultations, which they argue prevented Maeve from receiving the necessary in-person examination.
Following the tragedy, video calling has been banned for children at the GP post in Hilversum. The medical manager of the post has acknowledged the need to investigate the risks associated with video consultations and develop clear guidelines for their use. However, no national guidelines on the matter currently exist.
Lindsey and her husband are determined to push for change. They not only want video calling to be completely abolished but also advocate for improved training and awareness among general practitioners regarding the recognition of streptococcal infections and meningitis. They are collaborating with the ItsME foundation, a organization dedicated to meningitis research, to develop training programs for doctors.
This devastating incident highlights the urgent need for a thorough evaluation of video consultations in healthcare and the importance of proper training for doctors to recognize critical symptoms. The grief-stricken parents hope that their daughter’s tragic death will not be in vain and will lead to significant improvements in healthcare practices to prevent similar incidents in the future.]
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