Disturbing press releases regarding a death at Bumrungrad
A series of press releases have appeared on PRWeb.com regarding the death of a young man at Bumrungrad Hospital. The story is that a 23 year old man named Joshua Goldberg checked into the hospital on 12 February 2006 because his leg was swollen, had no feeling, and he could not move it. He died in the hospital on 24 February 2006. Although sad, it certainly is not unusual for people of all ages to die in hospitals every day. What is interesting in a somewhat disturbing way is the way the press releases have attempted to portray the situation.
The 11 July 2006 press release says that a police investigation into the death was initiated after they were alerted by an anonymous caller. It also says that six drugs were administered that are contraindicated, according to the Physician’s Desk Reference. And there is a lengthy discussion about who has or had ownership interest in the hospital, and why some details of it are not reflected in filings by the hospital with the Thai stock exchange.
The 8 September 2006 press release says that the family of the deceased is offering a $1 million reward for the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in the death of the man. It mentions that he went to Thailand to ordain as a Buddhist monk. There is again a claim that the police investigation was started after a call from a “whistle blower”. There is some discussion of an apparent discrepancy in the reported time of death. And there is again some discussion about the ownership of the hospital, and a claim that the chairman of the hospital is also the chairman of Bangkok Bank whose New York branch was served with a legal notice regarding money laundering. There is some claim of a coverup regarding the death. And finally, there is a statement that Joshua Goldberg was posthumously ordained as a Buddhist monk.
Then 5 October 2006 press release says that after seven months of silence the hospital has appointed a new attorney and is in settlement talks with the family. Among the terms of the settlement being requested is that the hospital match funds with the estate of the deceased to establish a facility to provide care for Buddhist monks and nuns in Thailand. The press release goes into some detail on the ideas the father of the deceased has in how the facility would be run. No mention is made of his other settlement demands.
Here is my take on this story. The death of a son is a tragic event, that is certain. But there are quite a number of red flags in the content of the series of press releases that, at the least, reduce the impact of the story.
The ownership of the hospital, or the activities of another unrelated business for which the hospital’s chair person also acts as chair, is not pertinent to the story whatsoever. It is clearly an attempt to “sling mud” and try to make it look like the hospital is run by some shady characters, thereby implying that they would be quick to do a coverup. That kind of mud slinging in a situation like this is a very poor choice of tactics and in my opinion reduces the credibility of the press releases.
The use of the phrase “whistle blower”, in fact the whole anonymous caller idea, seems suspicious. Again, from an outsider reading the press release, it looks like a weak attempt to support the notion that a coverup is involved. Taken with some of the other tactics I don’t buy it.
The “seven months of silence” sounds disturbing. But I wonder how much the hospital would be communicating with the family after the case was closed. Was it a case of the family repeatedly contacting them and saying they aren’t satisfied, and the hospital saying they already issued the final report, there is nothing more to it? Again, as an outsider, I don’t know. But it doesn’t sound like there is anything sinister there, just another attempt to make hospital look like they are covering up.
The point about the six drugs administered that are contraindicated by the Physician’s Desk Reference, does that mean the family read the medical report, looked up the drugs in the PDR and drew this conclusion themselves?
I thought it was a bit curious that the latest press release of October 5 implying a settlement was in the works followed so quickly the September 8 press release offering a reward for arrest and conviction. But when you read the October 5 press release closely you see that all that is happening is that the hospital has a new attorney and the new attorney has contacted the attorney of the family of the deceased. The bulk of that press release is the details of the father’s idea for a medical care facility for monks and nuns in Thailand funded by proceeds from a proposed settlement. There is no indication in the press release that the hospital is considering any such settlement. What this looks like is an attempt to make the demand for a monetary settlement look like it comes from altruistic motives. I would like to hear what the complete demands are, i.e. what they are asking for besides funding for this medical center.
An FYI - there is already a very large and well supported hospital for monks in Bangkok. And throughout the country monks are treated with great respect and medical care is normally freely available to them, although the quality of care in remote provinces may be lacking. So they usually go to the monk’s hospital in Bangkok for anything serious. Nevertheless, more high quality facilities would be a great addition.
Another off-topic point in one of the press releases is that the young man was posthumously ordained as a Buddhist monk. Perhaps this is a detail that is unimportant to some people. But I have studied the Dhamma (the Buddhist teachings), including the Vinnaya which are the rules for monks and include the procedures for ordaining as prescribed by the Buddha himself. I myself was previously ordained as a Buddhist monk. A dead body cannot be ordained as a Buddhist monk. I anumotanaboon (Pali for “rejoice in the merit”) of someone who intends to ordain. The young man made merit just by intending to do so. But a man must be alive to ordain because he must sit in front of 21 monks and ask to be ordained and then answer a series of questions before he can be accepted into the Sangha (order of monks). Perhaps there was some blessing ceremony that the family misunderstood as posthumous ordination.
In each of the press releases there are comments made in passing that Bumrungrad is the “self proclaimed leader” in the medical tourism industry. Actually, it is the several million patients (500,000 international patients last year alone) and the rest of the healthcare industry that have given them that label. I am just one of those millions of patients who can attest to the quality of care received at the hospital. If there were mistakes made by this young man’s doctor(s) that led to his death that is very sad and unfortunate. I suppose even the best make a mistake now and then.
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