GPHC has sensitive policy towards patients on life support machines -Rambarran

The policy regarding life-support machines at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC) is a sensitive one according to Medical Director Dr. Madan Rambarran, and he insists that the institution would not disconnect a machine and allow a patient to die.

Troy Collymore

The issue of the hospital’s policy came up recently when patient, Troy Collymore died and certain accusations were made by his family. Collymore, who was shot in the head and stomach during a robbery at Plaisance, was pronounced clinically dead due to the massive brain injuries he suffered.

Rambarran said the hospital generally disconnects the machine when the patient dies and he explained that the attending physician would determine whether there is any heart rate and if the patient is brain dead.  He said too that patients also die on the machines, noting that Collymore died and his machine was disconnected on Saturday last.

Rambarran noted that the hospital would not disconnect the machine if the patient’s vitals are functioning which includes pulse or heart rate and respiratory rate among other things. He said the hospital often makes the call based on what the attending physicians find, adding there is no obligation to consult families before disconnecting the machines if the patient dies while on life-support.

The situation is different, Rambarran said, if the patient is taken off life-support and left to function on his/her own then dies. He said in such instances families would be consulted and the decision would then be made to disconnect the machine.

Commenting on Colly-more’s case because it was widely reported in the press, Rambarran said, the hospital had detailed consultations with the family because of his condition. He said a visiting neurosurgeon also met with the family and had communicated the extent of Collymore’s brain injuries, in addition to noting his chances of survival. He reiterated that the hospital did not take Collymore off the machine for him to die, and that he had no heart rate and was brain dead when the machine was disconnected.

The Georgetown Public Hospital has more than eight life-support machines, Rambarran said, noting that the policy of disconnecting machines is not tied to the number of machines available to support patients who need them. He said that some of the anaesthesia machines at the hospital have been mobilized to support breathing.