After spending 12 hours waiting for a medical jet to transport him from a local hospital, a six-year-old kid had cardiac arrest and passed away.
On October 22, 2019, Austin Facer was laughing while watching Spongebob Squarepants in Broken Hill Hospital while awaiting transportation to a hospital in Sydney, Adelaide, or Melbourne.
After being delayed for over 12 hours, the small kid would have cardiac arrest and unfortunately pass away soon after being medevaced.
The facts of Austin’s terrible death are being examined in the Lidcombe Coroners Court inquest.
Austin’s parents started to worry more about his health in 2018 and 2019, as he started to lose his appetite, have chest discomfort and shortness of breath while exercising, as well as becoming overall sluggish. Additionally, Austin was given an asthma diagnosis in 2015.
The attorney for Peter Aitken claimed his departure was “extraordinarily tragic” and that his two siblings were grieved.
He was a young, energetic youngster who had just begun his trip through life, according to Mr. Aitken.
Doctors conducted a number of expert consultations but found no immediate grounds for worry.
Austin passed out at school the day before he passed away, and when he was transported to sick bay, he lost consciousness.
The youngster was revived by paramedics before being transported to Broken Hill Base Hospital, where doctors discovered a potentially fatal cardiac rhythm disorder called ventricular fibrillation.
Austin arrived to the clinic around 12:30 p.m., and there was uncertainty. Pediatrician Margaret Kummerow later said that she had been informed that Austin was experiencing a severe asthma attack rather than a heart problem.
Dr. Kummerow informed medical rescue personnel that the boy was “very okay at the moment” six minutes after arriving, adding, “the way he has reacted, I believe he’ll be alright to remain here.”
Dr. Kummerow said at the inquest that she wasn’t given enough time to independently confirm the patient’s heart abnormalities.
“There was without a doubt he required transfer,” she said during the court. “Once we formulated in our own thoughts that was precisely what had occurred, which was not a long time.”
Another request for a transfer to a tertiary hospital was made one hour after arriving at the facility. His father started to worry about the delays by three o’clock.
Austin was ultimately medically evacuated shortly before midnight, but 40 minutes into the journey, he had another cardiac arrest and was unable to be saved.
According to Mr. Aitken, the inquiry will look at whether Austin’s death might have been avoided with a quicker transfer and if the choices made about his evacuation were wise.
Sydney is a 13-hour drive or a 2-hour, 15-minute flight away from Broken Hill, whereas Adelaide is just a 6-hour drive or a 1-hour, 15-minute flight away.
Austin had a rare congenital heart condition, which was made known during the hearing, but the causes of death were still under debate.
One suggested surgery may have been considered if the abnormalities had been discovered, but acknowledged it was “impossible to foresee.”
Dr. Timothy Bailey, a different specialist at Broken Hill, expressed his displeasure with the delays in the six-year-care. old’s
He is suffering at Broken Hill. The day he passed away, Dr. Bailey, who was working in the emergency room, said, “We’ve got nothing more to offer.”
I was anxious to get him to his destination.
After the inquiry, Dr. Bailey sobbed as he embraced Austin’s mother and claimed the kid deserved a better result, according to SMH.
He said, “As an emergency department locum, I travel extensively across NSW and have worked in Victoria and South Australia.”
“This is not an unusual issue… Regarding the transfer delays, he said, “that is the general criticism from all the sectors I work in. It should be given priority, in my opinion.
In her opening remarks, Elizabeth Ryan, the deputy state coroner, expressed regret to Caroline and David Facer for the death of the child.
She apologised to Austin’s parents, saying, “We are very sorry for your loss.”
We’ll look for answers to the inquiries you no doubt have regarding his demise.
The Facer family gave their OK for Austin’s image and name to be published.
The investigation goes on.