A patient was diagnosed with prostate cancer after his doctor failed to set a testing recall following an earlier elevated PSA test. Photo / 123RF
A patient was diagnosed with prostate cancer after his doctor failed to set a testing recall following an earlier elevated PSA test. Photo / 123RF
A doctor who failed to test a patient with prostate cancer in a timely manner has been asked to apologise by a health watchdog who has also asked that the medical centre undergo a random audit.
Health and Disability Commissioner Anthony Hill today released a report finding a general practitioner(GP) and his medical centre breached the Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers' Rights by failing to carry out the necessary testing in a timely way.
When the patient's prostate specific antigen (PSA) was tested in July 2014 and then retested a month later both results showed slightly elevated results.
The GP told the patient he could arrange a specialist review if there were any urinary problems and that otherwise those levels needed to be tested 6-12 monthly.
However, the GP did not set a recall for the testing to be done and the patient requested his repeat prescriptions using a new online tool.
At that time, patients at the centre could easily do so without a face-to-face consultation.
The GP requested blood tests for the man about a year after the elevated PSA tests, but a PSA test was not included, and the GP told the man by email that he should not need PSA testing for another year.
