WINNIPEG — A Winnipeg doctor told an inquest Wednesday he discharged Heather Brenan from an emergency room in 2012 because she “seemed comfortable.”
Less than an hour after Dr. Paul Dowhanik discharged Brenan from the Seven Oaks Hospital ER, she was rushed back where Dr. Dowhanik tried resuscitating her, but it was too late.
“I was pretty startled that it was this patient that I had just discharged,” said Dr. Dowhanik.
After losing 40 pounds and having difficulty swallowing, Brenan went to the Seven Oaks Hospital ER in late January 2012.
Despite asking to stay and telling nurses she didn’t want to go home, Dr. Dowhanik discharged her.
READ MORE: Heather Brenan didn’t want to go home from Winnipeg ER: Inquest
“She was ready for discharge,” said ER doctor Dowhanik, “I remember her not complaining of any chest pain or trouble breathing…she seemed to be completely comfortable.”
But he admitted he had not looked at Brenan’s entire chart including the social worker’s report which stated Brenan was worried she couldn’t take care of herself at home.
Dr. Dowhanik recalled upon starting his shift at 5pm on January 27th, the previous ER doctor said “if the scope is okay she can go home.”
But her scope test wasn’t completed because Brenan couldn’t tolerate it, struggling to breath.
After requesting further blood tests, Dr. Dowhanik said there were no concerns and she had “significantly improved” after her three day stay.
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Dr. Dowhanik had attempted to page another doctor to seek further advice about Brenan’s health, but he didn’t get a response.
“I guess if the doctor thought there was something concerning he would have called me.”
He spoke to Brenan about letting her go home. “She was concerned about how she’d get into her house, she was also concerned about her nutrition.”
He recommended a liquid diet and prescribed sleeping pills.
She was sent home in a taxi at 11 at night without her house key but would meet a neighbour at home.
After getting out of the taxi Brenan collapsed on her doorstep and went into cardiac arrest from an undetected blood clot that had moved into her lung.
Brenan died despite Dr. Dowhanik’s attempts to save her.
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